My God How the Money Rolls In

I've heard many people ask how is the Schiavo Circus in Florida being funded. The St. Petersburg Times has done a good job of following the money and bringing to light, what all have assumed. Right wing family values and right to life groups have given big time to keep the circus going. Many of these groups include explicitly anti-gay agendas such as the Alliance Defense Fund and Right March. But check them out for yourselves...really ....we should know exactly what we are dealing with here. The following is quoted from the Times:

• "Help Save Terri Schiavo's Life," read the top headline on Friday's home page of RightMarch.com. Just below the headline, a button allowed visitors to listen to 31/2 minutes of Schiavo seemingly moaning after her feeding tube was removed March 18. Below that, people were encouraged to "give an emergency donation."

• "They're Going to Kill My Daughter Terri Schiavo Unless Good People Like You Help us Stop Them," writes Bob Schindler, Schiavo's father, in an Internet solicitation letter for the Life Legal Defense Foundation, which helped underwrite the Schindler family's legal fees.Donors of $100 or more can receive a videotape of Schiavo in her bed, as can anyone who promises to show the tape and the solicitation letter to friends."

• "What did help(the Schindler's financial problems) was a $300,000 donation several years ago from the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, another "prolife" legal aid group. That money went to St. Petersburg attorney Patricia Anderson, then the Schindler family's lawyer, Cody said, though it didn't fully compensate Anderson for fees and costs of her three-plus years of work."

• Terrisfight.org is the Web site for the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation, a nonprofit Florida corporation started in 2002 by the Schindler family. According to documents filed with the state, the foundation raises money to: help prevent her death, underwrite medical and neurological exams related to rehabilitation and care, increase public awareness of guardianship, marital infidelity and end-of-life laws and to lobby for greater parental rights under guardianship law.Bob Schindler is president, Mary Schindler is secretary; Bobby Schindler Jr. is treasurer, and Suzanne Carr, Schiavo's sister, is listed as director, though she got married earlier this month and is now Suzanne Vitadamo. In 2003, none drew a salary.The foundation's Web site includes videos of Terri, taken during court-ordered evaluations."

snip

" It also asks for donations because the foundation "depends on the generosity of others to offset some of the expenses associated with protecting Terri. People can donate by credit card or check."

• "Lately, the Franciscan Brothers of Peace, based in Minnesota, have been raising money for the Schindlers' foundation. Because the Brothers are a religious order, people can donate, then claim a tax deduction, knowing the Brothers will forward the money to the foundation."

• "Troy Newman, president of OperationRescue.org, said his organization's Web site, "has just been blossoming with e-mails and letters of concern" about Schiavo. "We are getting several hundred e-mails every day."

snip

"Schiavo-related donations paid for motel rooms and other travel costs for trips to Tallahassee, Newman said, but nothing more. His group joined a loose coalition of 25 organizations called Voice for Terri, which ceased fundraising Friday because "all our options are gone. At this time we are praying and fasting," Newman said.

Any leftover money will be donated to the Schindlers, he said."