Monday, August 17, 2009

More Bloomberg/Gates/Gingrich/Sharpton/Duncan connections:

The "transparency" that isn't

UPDATE

I posted this earlier this morning, but to help put it all into perspective, read Leonie Haimson in the Huffington Post: "Arne Duncan Has Become a National Embarrassment, Part II."



From Carl Campanile's exclusive in the NY Post today we learn that Bill Gates funded Learn-NY out of his own pocket.
America's richest man chipped in to help preserve mayoral control of New York City schools.

Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates — a pal of fellow billionaire Mayor Bloomberg — has secretly bankrolled Learn-NY, the group that joined the campaign led byThe Post to extend mayoral control.

Gates funneled about $4 million to the pro-mayoral-control forces during the fierce, dragged-out legislative debate, The Post has learned. A spokesman for Gates confirmed the donation and the approximate size.

The donation helped pay for Learn-NY's extensive public-relations, media and lobbying efforts in Albany and the city. The effort include advertisements, parent organizing and canvassing — including a five-borough bus tour and trips to the state capital.

Gates gave the money from his personal pocket — not from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has pumped $150 million into the city to develop small schools. . . .
But, search the ABOUT US page on the Learn NY website and you won't find Gates's name, although you will find the same claptrap about "accountability" and "transparency."

You won't find him mentioned on the LATEST NEWS page either, or THE FACTS either.

What I'm not understanding — yet — is how Campanile is keeping his job at the paper. To me, what he reports today is absolutely damning.

— JW

No comments: