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Exhibit W: Council for the Defense of Freedom
How Reed Irvine finances Jerry Falwell
By Salvador Astucia, Dec. 2, 2002
IRS records reveal that Reed Irvine finances, in part, the political activities of Christian Right leader, the Reverend Jerry Falwell. Although the amount of money involved is not huge (about $29,000), it establishes a money trail between the two opinion leaders.
Irvine apparently channels money to Falwell through a sister corporation of Accuracy in Media (Irvine’s primary corporation, which is tax exempt). The sister corporation is named the "Council for the Defense of Freedom."
According to IRS records, Accuracy in Media has two sister corporations: (a) Accuracy in Academia and (b) Council for the Defense of Freedom. Like AIM, the sister organizations both enjoy 501(c)(3) tax expempt status.(1)
Of the three organizations, Accuracy in Academia appears to be the most benign. It focuses on ensuring college and university professors teach right-wing ideology as well as left-wing thought.
AIM’s other sister corporation, Council for the Defense of Freedom, has the earmarks of a deep cover espionage organization actively supporting a mix of right-wing ideology and Zionism.
Per IRS records, the purpose of the Council for the Defense of Freedom is as follows:
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The corporation is formed for the purpose of disseminating information in aid of national security and world freedom. In furtherance of this objective, it shall employ means feasible to communicate with the public its views on domestic and foreign affairs which it considers appropriate for the security of freedom.
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Council for the Defense of Freedom’s annual reports, filed with the IRS for 1994 and 1995, reveal that CDF paid about $29,000 to something called the "Busiek Project," apparently an endeavor run by AIM board director Dr. Paul Busiek. Reports from watchdog agency, Public Eye, reveal that Dr. Busiek sits on the advisory board of the Maldon Institute,(2) an organization funded by the ADL, B’nai B’rith and right-wing contributor Richard Mellon Scaife. Scaife finances the Maldon Institute through two organizations, the Allegheny Foundation and the Carthage Foundation.(3) Dr. D. James Kennedy, co-founder of Falwell’s Moral Majority, is a board member of the Maldon Institute.(4)
Let’s back up and recap because it’s getting complicated. Kennedy and Busiek are both on the Maldon Institute’s board of directors, although Busiek serves in an advisory capacity. Kennedy is close to Falwell (co-founded the Moral Majority) and Busiek is close to Irvine (board member of AIM).
It is the Kennedy-Busiek conduit through which money likely flows from Reed Irvine to Jerry Falwell. AIM collects large contributions which are apparently funneled to smaller espionage groups like CDF (AIM’s sister corporation) where money is channeled to Falwell through odd sounding funds like the "Busiek Project," which of course is named after AIM board member Dr. Paul Busiek.
The IRS does not release the names of contributors to 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporations like AIM, but the IRS does release the dollar amount donated by individual contributors. For example, AIM’s 1995 tax records indicate that one entity contributed $630,000 and three other entities gave $400,000; $100,000; and $75,000 respectively. Similar amounts were donated to AIM in 1996, 1999, and 2000. (NOTE: Contributions were not shown in 1997 and 1998 IRS reports.)
It goes without saying that AIM is financed by powerful interests. After receiving large donations from these powerful interests (likely Israel and Scaife), AIM distributes moneys to other operations like the Maldon Institute. The money trail is difficult for IRS auditors to follow because code names, like the Busiek Project, are given to funds targeted for special purposes.
In a September 2000 report, Public Eye described the Maldon Institute as "a right wing think tank that studies national security and terrorism from a countersubversive and often conspiracist perspective." (5)
(Interesting that the Maldon Institute was interested in terrorism prior to 9-11.)
The Council for the Defense of Freedom publishes a newspaper, the Washington Inquirer, which also has a website:
http://www.washingtoninquirer.com (6)
The following is a brief history of the Washington Inquirer which is displayed on its website.
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The Washington Inquirer is an on-line newspaper that covers United States national security issues. To that end it reports on U.S. domestic news relating to American defense and foreign policy issues. It also reports international news of happenings that could have an impact on U.S. national security.
Founded 20 years ago as a print newspaper available to subscribers and supporters, its original purpose was to print news on all sorts of issues where the major American media had fallen down and had either failed to report or had reported in a distorted manner. In that tradition, the Inquirer still tries to correct the record, to reverse the spin, and to present issues in ways that the major media often do not seem to see.(7)
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Board members for the Council for the Defense of Freedom are as follows:
James Tyson, President
Darien, CT
William Kaufman, Vice-President
Cherry Hill, NJ
Joseph Goulden, Treasurer
Washington, DC
Colonel Samuel Dickens (retired), Secretary/Chairman
Alexandria, VA
Arthur D. Randall, Editor
Washington, DC (8)
In 1984, Colonel Samuel Dickens (Secretary/Chairman of CDF) was a member of President Ronald Reagan’s "World Anti-Communist League" (WACL) which is linked to Oliver North’s infamous Iran/Contra Affair. (9)
James Tyson, President of CDF, is employed as a senior writer at Bloomberg News, founded by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 1981. Tyson is also a staff writer at the Christian Science Monitor. (10)
Public Eye summarized CDF’s activities in a 1989 report:
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Founded as the Council Against Communist Aggression, the Council for the Defense of Freedom (CDF) changed its name in 1980. The group organized in 1951 to "disseminate information to promote national security and world freedom," and was largely a reaction to hostilities that were occurring between what are now North and South Korea. CDF has approximately 6200 members who are interested in "combating communist aggression and ensuring national security." CDF feels that the Western world's resolve has faltered in the face of new strategies and tactics employed by "communist aggressors." The CDF maintains that "After Korea, they (communists) relied less on massive military action and more on subversion combined with insidious propaganda campaigns to confuse our people and undermine our determination to contain and shrink the communist empire." The CDF advocates building a military establishment "second to none," and abandoning détente. (11)
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Public Eye also cited Trent Lott and Jesse Helms as principals with CDF, among others.
The Council for the Defense of Freedom operates at a lower budget than AIM which presently has assets of $6.02 million. (12)
IRS records indicate that CDF’s net assets were $920 in 2001; $36,000 in 1995; and $39,000 in 1994. (NOTE: Those were the only years for which tax records were released by the IRS.)
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SOURCES:
(1) AIM’s two sister corporations (Accuracy in Academia and Council for the Defense of Freedom) are listed in AIM’s annual reports submitted to the IRS for years 1994 through 2000.
(2) "The Maldon Institute," 1993 report; Public Eye website
(3) ibid
(4) Chip Berlet, "The Maldon Institute," September 8, 2000, Revision 2, Public Eye website
(5) ibid
(6) The Washington Inquirer, and the stated website, are listed on the Council for the Defense of Freedom’s 2001 annual report submitted to the IRS.
(7) The background description is found on the Washington Inquirer’s website under a page named "About Us."
(8) The board members for the Council for the Defense of Freedom’s are listed in the organization’s annual reports submitted to the IRS for 1994, 1995, and 2001.
(9) Russ Bellant, "OLD NAZIS, THE NEW RIGHT, AND THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION The Role of Domestic Fascist Networks in the Republican Party and Their Effect on U.S. Cold War Politics," Second Edition, February 6, 1989; PART THREE - SECTION 1, "Allies and Allegiances," Public Eye
(10) Bloomberg News’ website (bloomberg.com) identifies James Tyson as a senior writer. The website also states that Bloomberg News was founded in 1981 by Michael Bloomberg. The Christian Science Monitor’s website identifies Tyson as a "staff writer."
(11) Public Eye website. See "Council for the Defense of Freedom." The following sources were cited:
- Flyer about The Washington Inquirer by Council for the Defense of Freedom, no date.
- Interview by Deb Preusch with a Council spokesperson, Feb 13, 1986.
- Encyclopedia of Associations, 23rd ed, 1989.
(12) Accuracy in Media’s IRS returns (Form 990) for Year 2000.