Bunning profits from his "charity"

Kentuckians have long known that Jim Bunning is interested primarily in Jim Bunning.

Now the 2-term Republican senator is in the scandal of his life, as it's been discovered that he's made money off a so-called nonprofit foundation he started.

Whooooo, man! This guy could be in some deep trouble! The IRS and the Senate do not look kindly upon shenanigans like this. At all.

The Jim Bunning Foundation collects money that Bunning, a former major league pitcher, gets from autographing baseball items. It's taken in about $500,000. Where does this money go?

The biggest recipient of money raised by the Jim Bunning Foundation is (drum roll, please) Jim Bunning. Tax records show that he's gotten a $180,000 salary just for working for this "charity" a grueling one hour a week. According to these records, Bunning is the only individual employed by his foundation or to get a paycheck from it.

Churches and charities in the area have received less than $140,000 from the Jim Bunning Foundation. While 36% of the money raised by this "nonprofit" has gone to Bunning's salary, only 27% has gone to charitable activities.

It doesn't look good for ol' Jimbo, does it?

Daniel Borochoff of the American Institute of Philanthropy said, "The IRS doesn't want people to just set up their weekend hobbies as nonprofit foundations so they can take advantage of the tax-protection rules." But it appears that's exactly what Jim Bunning did.

Longtime Bunning follower and lobbyist Rick Robinson, who incorporated Bunning's foundation, said the senator created the "nonprofit" so he could make money from autographs without violating Senate rules on outside income.

So he's saying the purpose of a nonprofit is to make a profit? Yes, I heard him too. He really said that.

What's next? Is Bunning going to start holding Freedom Concerts?

(Source: http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2008/12/18/sen-bunning-profits-from-his-non-profit)