Coming Up In The Air America Scandal

Much More Ahead

Expect Scandal To Grow


If you thought Air America's sleazy scandal involving $875,000 in taxpayer funds meant for a Bronx-based nonprofit had begun to fade into the background, guess again.

Because the mainstream media ignored the story, public awareness has instead built up slowly.

Yesterday, "Air America" was the most requested term at blog search engine Technorati, and we don't believe it's due to a sudden interest in Franken's political views.

The Radio Equalizer's visitor traffic actually peaked Friday, about 10 days after our initiation of the "blogswarm" over the developing scandal. Others covering the story have also seen readership surges over the past two weeks.

So what's next?

Expect things to heat up further, rather than cool down. There are a number of new developments now being investigated, plus articles and op-eds, yet to appear.

In addition, there are many unanswered questions. And we'll find out more from investigators about what actions may yet be taken.

Noteworthy today:

--- Oregonian Associate Editor David Reinhard makes a number of great new points in a Sunday op-ed piece:

Surely, Air America's listeners must be scandalized by these Enronesque corporate shenanigans. Victimizing the children -- isn't that what Republicans do?

Air America says it's ready to repay the principal to the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club.

I think the network's listeners should do more. Liberals are always letting the rest of us know just how much sharper and more compassionate they are than the rest of us.

Now it's time to prove it: Air America Needs You.

First, its listeners should unleash their "we know better" candlepower and their you-can't-fool-us cynicism to get to the bottom of the Air America's kids-for-kilowatts scandal.

And, clearly, a scheme that hurts children and Alzheimer's patients to fund left-wing outreach should appeal to progressives' dark sense of irony.

Second, Air America's listeners should go beyond the network owners on the financial front. Simply repaying funds to club isn't enough. Really, how cover-your-assets corporatist is that? Leftist listeners need to really showcase that storied compassion of theirs.

Yes, how about a radio-thon to raise funds for kids and Alzheimer's patients across this broad land? Lefty listeners could, well, "Give piece of change."


--- Mark Steyn has this to say in today's Chicago Sun-Times:

Speaking of shivering coatless girls in Bush's America, spare a thought for the underprivileged urchins of the Bronx.

The Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club, a nonprofit social-services organization in New York, receives millions of dollars in government funds to give disadvantaged youth in poor neighborhoods a leg up the ladder of life.

But mysteriously much of the money wound up being diverted to the coffers of Air America, the liberal talk-radio network whose ratings are yet another example of "deferred success."

The needs of disadvantaged Al Franken and his pals apparently outweigh those of Bronx welfare recipients.

Perhaps Janeane Garofalo is the coatless girl John Edwards was talking about all those months. Air America looks like the broadcast version of the U.N. Oil-for-Food program, whereby money earmarked to save starving moppets somehow winds up in the bank accounts of bloated self-described do-gooders with political connections.


--- A large number of readers asked me why I haven't jumped on Air America's bumper sticker network slogan contest, an obvious source of fun. Somebody there isn't paying attention to the blog entry comments, because this list slipped through:

I have a few:

DRINK LIBERALLY (Get the government to pay for everybody's beer, and if a bartender cuts you off, whine that your civil rights are being violated.)

AIR AMERICA RADIO (Formerly proudly funded by the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Clubs of New York!)

AAR: (Ask me about our creative funding opportunities!)

AIR AMERICA RADIO! (Our bumperstickers will be around, even if we're not!)

AIR AMERICA RADIO! (Evan Cohen, please give us a call--Evan? Hello?)

AIR AMERICA RADIO! (We didn't INTEND to be a non-profit organization; do we qualify for OUR OWN government funding yet? Those Boys and Girls Clubs can't be trusted longterm to meet our needs.)

AIR AMERICA RADIO! (Our staff will soon BE on Welfare!)

AIR AMERICA RADIO! (Evan-PLEASE call! It's Really Really Important!


Wonder how long before that post is removed from AAR's site?


--- Mark Tapscott believes we should all give the New York Times a break.

Blogospheric Update:

--- Captain Ed weighs in with a great comparison piece today.

--- Michelle Malkin adds her latest round-up here.

--- This one I just couldn't figure out.

More blog posts to be added later.


Franken scandal photo (top) by Darleen Click. Thieves by Marchand Chronicles.