James O’Keefe has followed up his blockbuster video of NPR officials trolling for a $5 million contribution from a purported Muslim Brotherhood organization devoted to expanding sharia. The second release is a set of audio tapes of phone calls between his undercover colleagues and NPR’s Senior Director for Institutional Giving, Betsy Liley. Liley assures the supposed Muslim extremists that NPR will be able to keep their contribution secret from the prying eyes of the Congressmen who fund NPR, and others:
NPR has placed Ms. Liley on administrative leave and is trying to distance itself from her comments:
“The statement made by Betsy Liley in the audio tapes released today regarding the possibility of making an anonymous gift that would remain invisible to tax authorities is factually inaccurate and not reflective of NPR’s gift practices. All donations – anonymous and named – are fully reported to the IRS,” NPR said in a statement.
I’m not sure this statement really responds to the issues raised by the audio tapes. Wouldn’t an anonymous contribution be reported to the IRS as anonymous? And if so, isn’t Ms. Liley’s assurance well-founded?
Be that as it may, NPR is in full throw-them-under-the-bus mode.
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