Red Badge of Shame2

Vernacular help is the only kind that really helps, in the long run. Read it and weep.The New York Times

March 28, 2006
Louisiana Investigating Red Cross on Relief
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BATON ROUGE, La., March 27 (AP) — Louisiana is investigating accusations that Red Cross volunteers stole relief money, Attorney General Charles C. Foti Jr. said Monday.

Mr. Foti said he decided to investigate after a Red Cross spokesman told Congress on Friday that the organization was investigating accusations of widespread theft by its Hurricane Katrina volunteers.

Mr. Foti has asked for information about three volunteers fired by the Red Cross, said a spokeswoman, Kris Wartelle. "He wants to take a look at those three cases, also, to see if there's any criminal activity under Louisiana law," Ms. Wartelle said.

The Red Cross had 235,000 volunteers working in the disaster area.

Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, has said Red Cross volunteers may have committed criminal fraud. The accusations include improperly diverting relief supplies and violating Red Cross rules by using felons as volunteers in the disaster area. Mr. Grassley has threatened to rewrite or revoke the organization's charter if it does not overhaul its operations.

Mr. Foti said he had also asked the Humane Society to account for the money it raised to rescue pets after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
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