Southwest Museum/Autry Controversy: Financial Bamboozle (Are The People Geting Screwed Again?))

From Zuma's Inbox: ZumaDogg@Gmail.com.

Has anyone been to the Friends of the Southwest Museum site lately?

Go there and you'll see an excellent piece of work uncovering the Autry's true and actual assets at the time they signed the merger agreement with the Southwest. Turns out their touted $100 million (with which to build their new campus, relocate Southwest artifacts, et al) is little more than a
promissory note to be given only on Mrs. Autry's death. The Autry Foundation has little more in current assets than the Southwest ever had.

According to the study's author Mr. Jack B. Siegel of Charity Governance consulting, LLC, at the time the Autry presented its merger plans to the Southwest Board, the California State Attorney General, and others, it was not much better off than the Southwest, once the $100 pledge was removed from their books. In light of that bit of news, John Grey's statement in the L.A. Weekly article is truly EXTRAORDINARY:

(commenting on neighborhood activists who are working to keep the artifacts in Northeast LA): "You give me a commitment that you'll raise the money, then you can spend it," Gray says of Southwest backers. "Every time I have a philosophical discussion, I get accused of lying" (L.A. Weekly).

You bet you get accused of lying, John Grey. Good news is, through the diligence and hardwork of our neighborhood activists, we may finally have a leg to stand on.

If you haven't already, be sure to sign the petition at the Friends site,

http://www.petition online.com/ SWM/petition. html

And watch for upcoming fundraising news. For the fight ahead, we're going to need all we can get.

Judith Dancoff

Thanks Judith...you didn't even have to send this to me. It's making the email rounds.

ZumaTimes.com
All the news that's fit to link