Showing posts with label day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label day. Show all posts

Monday, July 1, 2019

Who is getting $775/day to care for immigrant children in detention? Friends of Trump, big business, GOP



Emily Price
June 25 at 6:06 PM
So I decided to do a little research into the $750/day figure I’d heard a private company was charging the US government per each detained migrant child. I wanted to, with my own eyes and brain, 1. verify this figure was accurate; 2. verify it was indeed a private company instead of a non-profit charging this, if true, as both have managed these detention centers (not that it really matters, ultimately, but stay with me); 3. try to figure out where this per diem sum — more than my monthly mortgage — was going, if not to even buy these tortured children toothbrushes and soap, which are about the cheapest basic necessities on the market, and which no individual has to replace every day.
$750/person A DAY should cover a lot of necessities, right? Right. So where the hell is all this money going? This can’t be true...
Well here’s what I found:
1. Yes, it’s a private company called Comprehensive Health Services (a subsidiary of Caliburn International). CHS operates the largest child migrant detention center, which is in FL and was already getting horrible press — especially from local FL papers — last year. But that didn’t matter, because CHS recently opened up a few more child prisons in TX, as it snagged a new government contract, despite many documented concerns about conditions there.
2. $750/day per child is an accurate sum of CHS’s CLAIMED operating costs, and what our federal tax dollars are paying for. A sum that was agreed to upon award of the contract. In fact, it was actually on the record as $775 last summer.
3. So where is this money going, you wonder, if not to soap and toothbrushes? Yeah, I did too, and it was quite easy to dig up. CHS, via Caliburn, is controlled by the private equity firm DC Capital Partners. For those of you who don’t know how private equity firms work, look it up, or ask me in the comments.
4. While I would not be able to find out vested shareholders in the DCCP portfolio, we do not have to assume they’re making some nice returns on these CHS operations and government contracts that line their pockets instead of covering even basic human needs for children. That’s clear, because why would a private company keep their costs down so low that they completely disregard humanity, even though they say they’re experts in “healthcare?”
PROFIT. FOR THEIR PRIVATE INVESTORS.
5. While I can’t name for you the private investors getting rich off of this humanitarian crisis, I can name for you members of the advisory board of DCCP, which approves everything in the portfolio.
First up: Trump’s former Chief of Staff, John Kelly, who was named to the board LAST MONTH, and photographed riding a golf cart into a CHS child prison. So with his own eyes, he saw the conditions there. And he was cool with it all, because hey, there’s money to be made for his rich investor friends, and maybe even himself! Who knows! Can’t say for sure, so feel free to reasonably assume what you wish. I’m just stating facts here.
Coincidentally, prior to joining Trump in the WH, he was also a paid lobbyist for DCCP. Hmmmm...
6. So next up on the DCCP board: Richard L. Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state; Michael Corbin; former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates; Michael V. Hayden, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and of the National Security Agency; Donald M. Kerr Jr., former deputy director of science and technology at the CIA; Anthony C. Zinni, former commander-in-chief of the U.S. Central Command and former U.S. Envoy to the Middle East; and Stephen F. Loftus, former director of the Office of the Budget for the United States Navy.
Are y’all seeing any patterns here?
7. Michael Hayden, last June, said on the record he sees “commonality” between Nazi Germany’s separation of children at concentration camps and the Trump administration policy that is forcing children to be separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border.
"I know we’re not Nazi Germany, alright. But there is a commonality there, and a fear on my part ... We have standards we have to live up to,” Hayden told CNN’s “New Day.”
It appears he left those standards at the boardroom door, along with many other individuals that dance with greed and corruption on the line of the private and public sectors COMPLETELY UNCHECKED.
8. Last month, the same month Kelly got his new gig, the government awarded CHS a brand new, hush-hush contract worth $341 million, even though there had been tons of pressure to close it due to its conditions.
THERE WAS NO COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR THE CONTRACT, and it happened under the radar.
9. Just two months before this, in March, CHS/Caliburn cancelled its IPO after registering with the SEC to sell $100m public shares. The CEO cited “market forces,” yet made it clear the company was thriving and growing.
——————
I’ll leave you to come to your own conclusions about all of this, or do more research. And I’ll post a ton of sources in the comments for those who actually think this administration is “draining the swamp,” or who want to debate the semantics of whether these ”centers” can reasonably be called child concentration camps or not without offending some non-brown people.
And for those of you who think children don’t deserve the most basic human rights because they’re not American: There’s a special place in hell for you, and I imagine hell to be a whole lot like this situation.
For those of you who are cool lining the pockets of private citizens in DC with YOUR tax dollars while dirty, hungry, sick children live imprisoned and stacked in cages without even a dime of your money going to pay for soap and toothbrushes for these kids like it was supposed to: I’m ashamed to share this country with you as legal citizens, and I think you’re disgustingly dumb. We failed you, too, but at least you got to go to school when you were a kid, and didn’t spend childhood dying in a cage.
America, NONE OF THIS IS OK. WAKE UP.
——————
FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE (!!)
1. As mentioned upon writing this, I originally posted my sources at the beginning of the comments thread at time of publishing -- before it became a large discussion. For your convenience and further reading, I am now moving my sources here + some extra homework for everyone to do (no particular order):
The people have spoken, so hope that helps you all wrap your minds around this in a more complete and credible way. Thank you to all who have participated in civil dialogue and shared this post. Let's keep it constructive, as we do not need to be even more destructive than the current situation.
2. THE POST IS ALREADY PUBLIC + SHAREABLE. Please do not ask me if you can share it -- I made it public, which is why you can see it. You should be able to share the original version. If you can't, refresh your app, run your updates or make sure you aren't still viewing a friend's protected share of the original itself. There is no possible way I can instruct all individuals on how to share it -- but I appreciate all of you who are moved by these words, and want to raise awareness about this distressing situation.
3. Your concern has given me hope. Do your homework. Look into your group investment portfolios, pensions, etc. Know where your money is invested. Call your legislators. Do anything but freak out to the point of being unproductive and histrionic. DO ANYTHING BUT BE AWFUL TO EACH OTHER.
Thank you. We are in this together.

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,
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Saturday, December 17, 2016

$20,000,000 "Wreaths Across America" scam made by for-profit Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 



12/18/16 Wreaths Across America has been reported for diversion of assets to the IRS.

________________________

This is the first time I've heard about "Wreaths Across America" day where a non-profit places Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans with the help of free volunteers. Sounds like a nice sentiment even though we already have Veterans Day, Memorial day where we place things on Veterans graves. My relatives are veterans. My grandfather died in WWII.

I did some research and this appears to be a money making business for Worcester Wreath Co founded by Morrill Worcester in Maine. In 2015 they took in $8,000,000 selling wreaths to their own non-profit. They charge more than what other wreath companies would charge. They now use cheap migrant labor instead of locals. They have violations for illegal clear cutting of acres of trees. What's even worse is that they get volunteer truck drivers, wreath placers to deliver and place the wreaths on the graves! When they sell the wreaths to regular people they have to pay to ship them. They also get hundreds of thousands of dollars of free publicity and media because people think they are a charity that helps Veterans at Christmas. People think Morrill Worcester and his wife Karen donate the wreaths. They don't. Donald Trump would call this "Great! Smart!" This is like selling yellow snow to dead Eskimos. I bet the cemetery is the one that has to clean up all the wreaths and trash.

"The non-profit organization Wreaths Across America was started by a for-profit company that makes and sells wreaths, and 74 percent of every dollar Wreaths Across America spent went to this same for-profit wreath making company. A for-profit family owned company that has family members on the board of Wreaths Across America."

Morrill Worcester used his political contacts to make "Wreaths Across America" day. "December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day." Imagine getting a politician to create a day just for your company to make millions of dollars. Here is that bill by Senator Susie Collins. I sent her an email about the scam.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/sres726/text

They say you can also buy, I mean donate and a wreath can be sent to a living person. That is not a donation as you are getting something in return. I don't think that's legal. Look at their Q&A. One question is "why spend money on dead veterans when living veterans need so much?" Watch them say why giving dead tree branches to a dead veteran is better than helping a live veteran.

They say you can even sell the wreaths on days other than WAA day. These people have no shame. They offer a reseller program. These people are ONLY about making money doing so in the name of veterans. 

My grandpa and other relatives are buried at military cemeteries. I will contact them and make sure no WAA is ever placed on their graves.  This company uses dead veterans to make money. 

http://www.cityofventura.net/files/file/meetings/parks_and_recreation_commission/2012/05-16-12/Agenda%20Item%208%20WAA%20Reference%20Guide.pdf

I then found quite a few articles about the scam and how it works. This is a good article.

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/should-you-donate-wreaths-across-america-lesson-charitable-giving/

Snopes says WAA is a real company that donates wreaths for veteran graves. What is wrong with Snopes lately? It's like scammers are paying them for false reviews. Wall Street Journal saw through this scam. I sent Snopes proof that the company makes millions off this WAA day created by politician friends of owner of private company. The article is still there.

From Wall Street Journal 75 to 80% of Worcester Wreath income is from Wreaths Across America. The Worcesters say that they recuse themselves when the board votes on the wreath supplier. In the meantime other wreath companies have sent bids that are $1-$2 less per wreath and they've been denied. Per the WSJ,

"Worcester now charges the charity $8.50 a wreath, which after costs leaves $1.20 in profit, according to Rob Worcester, a son of Morrill and Karen. This year, the company sold 876,000 wreaths to the charity, suggesting a profit of $1.05 million. Worcester donated 25,000 additional wreaths, a deductible loss of about $183,000."

"Federal and state regulators “examine closely the details of those sorts of deals because there’s a huge potential for essentially the charity allowing its assets to be diverted to private use,” said Mr. Owens. If the deal benefits the related company to the detriment of the charity, the charity could lose its tax-exempt status, he said."

As there were cheaper bids this does appear to be diversion.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/wreaths-across-america-has-family-ties-to-its-supplier-1450740374

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 
https://www.guidestar.org/ViewPdf.aspx?PdfSource=0&ein=20-8362270

Wife of owner of company is the director. Rene Worcester, Sarah Worcester also on the board.

Karen Worcester, Executive Director
karen@wreathsacrossamerica.org
207 -470-0964 tel

Here is their 2013 tax return. In 2013 the non-profit gave the for-profit $4,865,805.


Their site says "When you donate to WAA your money goes to a wreath first, and we operate on the small margin remaining after purchasing and placing that wreath." This makes it very obvious that most of the money goes directly to the for-profit business Worcester Wreaths. Here is their nice graphic. This graphic is the Worcester Wreath company bragging about how much money they made in this scam.

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 

Below is 2014. Worcester Wreaths received over $6,000,000 from their non-profit Wreaths Across America.
Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 

Wreaths Across America made $23,000,000 from 2010 to 2015. Based on the 86.5% above going directly to Worcester Wreaths that means Morrill, Karen Worcester made $20,000,000 off this scam in six years alone! 

Wreaths Across America, scam, fraud, charity, Worcester Wreath Co, Morrill Worcester, Karen Worcester, Maine, wreaths, sell, donate, 20-8362270, remember, honor, teach, non profit, for profit, business, 

I would bet that in 1992 when Morrill Worcester gave the first 5,000 surplus wreaths to the cemetery that he took a huge tax deduction for the donation. Giving items or money to a government cemetery is considered a donation. 

A for-profit wreath company invents "Wreaths Across America day" and starts non-profit "Wreaths Across America." The day is the third Saturday of December which landed on my birthday today. They get Veterans groups, Christmas lovers to donate money to basically buy wreaths from them which they get volunteer truck drivers to deliver and volunteers to dump them on Veterans' graves for free positive publicity, advertising.

While the business has noted the conflict with the non-profit nobody bothers to research or read that information. They only see the feel good story, veterans, Christmas. This is obviously a $20,000,000 money making scam. I think I will start "Real Estate Appraisals Across America" day. True, dead veterans don't need a real estate appraisal but they also don't need a Christmas wreath. See, it's not about the appraisal (sarcasm). It's about honoring the veteran. I will say their name as I lay an invisible .pdf copy of an appraisal on their grave. It will teach people to honor veterans. Remember, honor, teach. Children will learn a great lesson. Please, PayPal me a donation today so you too can honor a dead Veteran with a lovely, festive Christmas appraisal, also good for Valentine's day, Cinco de Mayo and National Squirrel day.

#wreathsacrossamerica #worcesterwreath #karenworcester #morrillworcester #scam #fraud #christmas #wreath #veterans #graves #headstones

Worcester Wreath has an interesting history. They got stuck with extra inventory which they funneled through Wreaths Across America. L.L. Bean stated they had “very large” environmental fines that had been assessed to Worcester. They also had some ethical issues. In 2008 90% of Worcest Wreath business $6.7 million came from L.L. Bean.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/02/23/news/down-east/worcester-wreath-awarded-nearly-1m-in-lawsuit-against-l-l-bean/

In 2013 Worcester said 30% of its income was from Wreaths Across America.

EcoHealth reports that they not only illegally clear cut trees using an "agriculture" loophole but they had migrant housing placed on some of the land to attract poor migrant farmers instead of using US workers. http://ecohearth.com/eco-blogs/leave-the-trail-behind/1142-is-your-holiday-wreath-ecologically-sound

"Unfortunately, Worcester Wreath's environmental track record is not as laudable as their service to veterans. In an attempt to consolidate their control over the wreath-making industry, Worcester has clear-cut thousands of acres of forest in eastern Maine to make way for “brush agriculture.” Because they claimed that growing fir trees for wreaths is agriculture, they were able to sidestep most limitations on the size of clear-cuts. Fortunately, they miscalculated the size of the loophole they hid behind and have been slammed with fines of almost $200,000 by the Maine Forest Service—the largest fines ever levied for forestry violations within the state. Part of the fine was for improperly placing migrant labor housing. Apparently, part of the company's plan is to hire low-wage migrant workers rather than local residents, who have been doing the work for generations."

"The Worcester companies have incurred $95,000 in fines for violations of Maine tree harvesting regulations. Worcester Peat Co. Inc. is in the peat harvesting business. According to the Maine secretary of state, the shareholders for that company are Morrill Worcester, his wife, Karen, and (daughter) Pamela Slaven, all of Columbia Falls. Morrill Worcester is named as the manager of Worcester Holdings, LLC. It is described as a property land holdings company in the 2008 annual report of the Maine secretary of state."

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1509329/state_fines_worcester_wreath_affiliates/

"The consent order also resolves the following violations of laws administered by the DEP:

. Failing to obtain permits for construction of a warehouse and worker housing.

. Failing to properly construct and maintain ponds and other structures at the Denny Heath peat mining site.

. Discharging of peat and other sediment into McCoy Brook and the Narraguagus River.

. Disturbing a stream channel, discharging soil into a stream, improperly replacing culverts with rocks and placing fill material in a wetland.

. Failing to renew air emissions license before its expiration.

. Use of wood bottom ash in the construction of a road without a license."

Worcester Wreaths is now Worcester Resources.

Here are a few of their lawsuits

The 1988 lawsuit is labor dept v his concrete company. The 2012 lawsuit is due to a business loan he took for an unprofitable bio chip energy company that went under. The 2010 case is a trademark case. Whitney Originals sued Morrill Worcester and won.

1 Worcester, Morrill (dft) nysdce 1:2012-cv-00590 190 01/24/2012 10/01/2012
2 WORCESTER, MORRILL (dft) medce 1:1988-cv-00034 790 02/11/1988 05/13/1988
3 WORCESTER, MORRILL R (pla) medce 1:2010-cv-00478 840 11/22/2010 05/25/2012
4 WORCESTER, MORRILL R (dft) medce 1:2000-cv-00252 830 12/08/2000 02/28/2002
5 WORCESTER, MORRILL (dft) medce 1:1988-cv-00202 790 08/31/1988 09/07/1988
6 WORCESTER, MORRILL R (cc) medce 1:2000-cv-00252 830 12/08/2000 02/28/2002

Whitney Wreaths ended up getting the L.L. Bean wreath business.

http://www.mainebiz.biz/article/20101015/NEWS01/310159997/whitney-wreath-opens-new-facility

Here is some information about WAA, Worcester Wreath Co, Worcester Holdings, Worcester Cement, Worcester Peat Moss, Worcester energy... They are all owned by Morrill Robert Worcester, his wife Karen Dow Worcester, their daughter Pamela Worcester Slaven. Morrill's father was Wilbur Mariner Worcester 1906 - 1992. That links you to his mother.

UPDATE: 12/19/16: I got a call today from Memorial Day Flowers Foundation. I decided to see if Memorial Day Flowers is like Wreaths Across America. They haven't filed any 990's so I can't tell. As he owns a flower business I assume his foundation only buys his flowers. I do see that they also promote flowers for kids. He offers free flower "education" to kids so they can learn to appreciate i.e. desire and buy them. The guy made a video which he posted on YouTube. Before I even got to the video I thought this sounds like someone using free "education" to market, sell his product just like Wreaths Across America. Sure enough, it is. He flat out even states this in his video in the caption! Here's the frame. I didn't add that caption. He did. "Marketing Disguised as Education." This is something that you, wink wink, whisper behind closed doors. It's not something you post on the public internet connected to your name and business name. Now all the teachers, parents, public will know that the true goal is not education but free marketing for his flower selling business. How do these people live with themselves to want to use kids, schools just to market their products? Now he can post videos of him "educating" children about floral care so he can get good press.



Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,
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The Disappeared Los Desaparecidos Art Installation in Los Angeles, California by Mary Cummins

THE DISAPPEARED. Graphic artist Pauline Mateos created the art installation with the names and faces of people who have been detained or de...