Greg Mortenson, Author of 'Three Cups of Tea,' Avoids Criminal Charges, Settles Montana Attorney General's Lawsuit

Something I missed from last week. Remember this guy? He is the author of Three Cups of Tea, and he was running a charity called the Central Asia Institute. There was a pretty damning 60 Minutes segment (below the fold) about him misusing funds meant to build schools. The report made him out to be a brazen liar and a slick, unempathetic, self-promoting opportunist. He also appeared to be using charity resources to promote his book, the proceeds of which he kept as personal income.

The Montana Attorney General, Steve Bullock, had elected to pursue a civil investigation and lawsuit, as he explained in this letter of clarification to Here & Now, a radio show that had originally reported Bullock was "considering possible criminal fraud charges."

“Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock’s office is conducting a civil investigation into nonprofit governance issues concerning the board and management of CAI. This includes reviewing allegations of improper financial benefit to Greg Mortenson through the royalties, speaking fees, and travel reimbursements associated with the books Mr. Mortenson wrote, as well as financial oversight of the nonprofit by Mortenson and its board of directors.
The investigation is not focused on determining the truth of information included in Mr. Mortenson’s books or whether that amounted to fraud.
The investigation of CAI and Mr. Mortenson is a high priority for this office, and we expect to make public the results of our investigation sometime in mid-March.”

(Emphasis added.) One would think that the part of the statement in bold would indicate there was a possibility of a criminal action at a later time, but the case was settled, and I assume the settlement precludes the filing of criminal charges. Indeed, the AP story below, the AG essentially admits he cannot prove criminal intent.

According to the Montana Attorney General, "since 2006 the charity spent $4.9 million advertising Mortenson's two books and $4 million buying copies of them to give away to schools and libraries." How creepy is that?

From the Associated Press:

Greg Mortenson will remain the face of the charity he co-founded, despite his having to repay $1 million after an investigative report released Thursday concluded he mismanaged the organization and misspent its money.
Central Asia Institute Interim Executive Director Anne Beyersdorfer said Mortenson will continue to draw a salary from the charity. But it won't be as executive director and he is barred from being a voting member of the board of directors as long as he is still employed by the organization.
A new title has not been created for the mountaineer and humanitarian, but he will continue to represent the organization in speaking engagements and work to build relationships in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where the charity builds schools and promotes education, she said.
. . .
"Mr. Mortenson may not have intentionally deceived the board or his employees, but his disregard for and attitude about basic record keeping and accounting for his activities essentially had the same effect," Attorney General Steve Bullock said.

So it appears there were enough problems proving intent that the AG didn't want to gamble on criminal charges and restitution. Too bad. Mortenson strikes me as nothing more than a clever flimflam man--an especially pernicious variety, one who takes advantage of peoples' desire to help others.

You can see a complete copy of the Montana Attorney General's office investigative report here. CBS updated its story here.

Added: Steve Bullock is a Democrat, and he's running for governor. Thanks to commenter "free tibet-with purchase of - aww- you know the rest" for that information.

Follow me on Twitter.

Posted by: rdbrewer at 11:56 AM

Comments

1 Mortenson strikes me as nothing more than a clever flimflam man--and an especially pernicious variety, one who takes advantage of peoples' desire to help others.

It seems to be commonplace for crooks and pedobears to set up charities behind which to hide their crimes. Jerry Sandusky did the same.

Posted by: Boulder Toilet Hobo at April 14, 2012 12:00 PM (QTHTd)

2 thanks, rd

Posted by: Truman North at April 14, 2012 12:01 PM (I2LwF)

3 Oh no! They got Greg Mortenson!! If we've lost Greg Mortenson, we've.....

Wait, is he a good guy or a bad guy? And we should care... why?

Posted by: BurtTC at April 14, 2012 12:02 PM (Gc/Qi)

4
Neither you, rdbrewski, nor AP mentions this little nugget:

One of the funders of CAI who may now be wondering where his money went is President Obama. Last year, the president donated $100,000 out of his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize winnings to the Bozeman, Montana-based charity. It was one of the 10 U.S.-based organizations the president chose because of their "extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans and countless others in need."

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 12:05 PM (jUytm)

5
the above quote is from April 2011

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 12:06 PM (jUytm)

6 Jon Krakauer was instrumental in blowing the lid off this outhouse of crap, IIRC. On the other hand, Krakauer's own book on Afghanistan wasn't so great either: http://mediamythalert.wordpress.com/tag/jon-krakauer/

Posted by: Boulder Toilet Hobo at April 14, 2012 12:07 PM (QTHTd)

7 Who want to bet me the Montana AG isn't a Democrat?

Posted by: rdbrewer at April 14, 2012 12:08 PM (Iyg03)

8 BurtTC, Soothsayer's comment is one reason why we should care. . .

Posted by: Boulder Toilet Hobo at April 14, 2012 12:08 PM (QTHTd)

9 No charitable trust / fund / whatever should exist for more than 20 years.
ALL charities should have a 5 year tax exemption that is only renewed upon a complete and thorough audit.

Posted by: garrett at April 14, 2012 12:10 PM (JeB5C)

10
I still can't get over Obama receiving a Peace Prize just to spite President Bush.

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 12:11 PM (jUytm)

11 So three cups of tea is the amount required for a proper enema?

Posted by: fluffy at April 14, 2012 12:13 PM (z9HTb)

12 Bullock is a Democrat and running for gov

Posted by: free tibet-with purchase of - aww- you know the rest at April 14, 2012 12:13 PM (YoUwz)

13 10

They beclown themselves. I have no desire to stand in their way while they do so.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 14, 2012 12:14 PM (Gc/Qi)

14 Who want to bet me the Montana AG isn't a Democrat?

You'd be amazed at what can get elected up here.

Posted by: garrett at April 14, 2012 12:14 PM (JeB5C)

15 If I recall correctly, he wrote in his book about how the pentagon was about to give him 4million dollars, (each school cost like 10-20k to build) and he was so busy sniffing his contempt for the Bush administration that he refused, out of principal, to take it. That's one hell of a lot of schools not built because of his arrogance.

(Now in retrospect, it probably would have been squandered, but hey...)

And this after he applauded Mother Theresa for taking drug baron money for her Calcutta charity. "God doesn't care where the money comes from" was how he (or perhaps she?) put it. But from Bush? The Devil AAAAAACK!

Smug bastard deserves to go back to living out of his car.

Posted by: Derak at April 14, 2012 12:16 PM (VEhDR)

16 Kony 2012! Kony 2012!

Posted by: Kony2012!!!111!11! at April 14, 2012 12:18 PM (Y5I9o)

17 You'd be amazed at what can get elected up here.

Doubt it.

Posted by: Minnesota at April 14, 2012 12:19 PM (z9HTb)

18 Nicholas Kristof hardest hit.

Posted by: jeannebodine at April 14, 2012 12:25 PM (byR8d)

19 Another pernicious part about this is that the military apparently based a large amount of its efforts to win the hearts and minds of Afghans on Mortenson over the past 5 years.

1. The right people probably should have known better. 2. F'k this guy with an anvil.

Posted by: AD at April 14, 2012 12:26 PM (K4qwH)

20 fap fap fap

Posted by: Kony2012 at April 14, 2012 12:31 PM (QTHTd)

21 JosephP KennedyII, make 800 large giving away Chavez oil. Non-profits are a joke, they exist for the liberal elite to profit.

Posted by: madamex at April 14, 2012 12:33 PM (1zsKV)

22 Mortenson looks like a run-of-the-mill politician to me. I'm surprised he's not Secretary of the Treasury or something like that.

Posted by: Jay Bee at April 14, 2012 12:35 PM (6W8+8)

23
speaking of the despicable Kennedys...

if our side had any brains, they'd be exposing how the recent "donation" of the Hyannisport home is an obvious scam to evade taxes.

It was converted into a museum but public access will come later, as in maybe never. In the meantime, the Kennedy family can still live/vacation at the compound.

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 12:43 PM (jUytm)

24 Yeah money misdirected, that was a big deal. But I think a much bigger deal is how much he freaking lied about Afghanistan in terms of building the schools, the feeling of the people in Afghanistan etc. He should actually be indicted for the murder of US soldiers in my opinion.

And, despite this whole thing with him, that book is still held up in public schools as the most amazing book ever in the creation of books.

Posted by: ParanoidGirlInSeattle at April 14, 2012 12:46 PM (RZ8pf)

25 Titanic in 3D! See it today!

Posted by: James Cameron at April 14, 2012 12:51 PM (c3mby)

26 I think it's okay to go OT with this --

Via Dana Loesch

She's in WI today

tiny.cc/b9krcw

Posted by: laceyunderalls at April 14, 2012 12:56 PM (Z+Q/A)

27 miss me yet?

Posted by: the Gorn at April 14, 2012 12:58 PM (QTHTd)

28 Never believe ANYTHING 60 minutes says.

Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 12:59 PM (YdQQY)

29 OT
Every Moron here knows the story of AoSHQ and "More Cowbell".
So how do we handle it when the record for a cowbell ensemble is about to be broken, and it involves Ben and Jerry's?

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=541sid=2826825

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 14, 2012 12:59 PM (FEUhD)

30 "Every Moron here knows the story of AoSHQ and "More Cowbell"."

Ok, well not every moron apparently.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:06 PM (R5yLq)

31 Well, it's not like he used taxpayer dollars to buy copies of his own autobiography to give away...

Posted by: RoadRunner at April 14, 2012 01:08 PM (uIyvJ)

32
AoS redo guy who corrects fuck ups!

http://tinyurl.com/88lhskk

Posted by: Geeky Redo Nerd from Cali at April 14, 2012 01:09 PM (TkGkA)

33 "Never believe ANYTHING 60 minutes says. "

Other than good night, of course.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:10 PM (R5yLq)

34 buzzkill

Posted by: Jones in CO at April 14, 2012 01:14 PM (8sCoq)

35 "AoS redo guy who corrects fuck ups!"

Wow.. cowbells. Ok. What scares me is somebody said to somebody else,

"So, got any good idea's for a fundraiser"

The other guy turned back, came up with this cowbell thing, and then a small group of people got really excited about the idea.

People really scare me..

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:14 PM (R5yLq)

36 SoS....
To help out those who are unfamiliar with it, it's in our FAQ section of the sidebar(way down near the bottom) entitled "What is the Deal with the cowbell?"

Who even knew that we had a FAQ section?

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 14, 2012 01:14 PM (FEUhD)

37 "Who even knew that we had a FAQ section?"

Umm... hmm.. well in the interested of full disclosure, nope - no idea we had a FAQ section. But on to something more important. Do we have a mini-bar?

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:16 PM (R5yLq)

38 something more important. Do we have a mini-bar?

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:16 PM (R5yLq)

We have mini intellects AKA trolls

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:18 PM (lpWVn)

39 How has the idea of Prosecutorial Discretion, become the idea that prosecutors can decide which laws to enforce?

Posted by: Romeo13 at April 14, 2012 01:18 PM (lZBBB)

40 6 Jon Krakauer was instrumental in blowing the lid off this outhouse of crap, IIRC. On the other hand, Krakauer's own book on Afghanistan wasn't so great either: http://mediamythalert.wordpress.com

Speaking of lying pieces of shit, Krakauer takes the cake.

Posted by: Wyatt's Torch at April 14, 2012 01:18 PM (zxrQh)

41 "We have mini intellects AKA trolls"

Lol - ya, been dripping over their droppings for quite a while now.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:19 PM (R5yLq)

42 er.. tripping over their droppings. Sheesh. Can't type today.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:19 PM (R5yLq)

43 redo guy
Thanks for the fix on the link.
I was going to hit "preview" but realized that little feature was only available on high end blogging software.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 14, 2012 01:19 PM (FEUhD)

44 @42 .....I was really puzzling over that

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:21 PM (lpWVn)

45 Hmm.. Secret Service partying with hookers in Columbia. Yup.. our tax payer dollars hard at work once again.

Insert your favorite joke about stimulus funds here ___________________

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:22 PM (R5yLq)

46
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 14, 2012 01:19 PM (FEUhD)

Please update your nic from VIA to Village Idiot Local #475!

Posted by: Geeky Redo Nerd from Cali at April 14, 2012 01:23 PM (TkGkA)

47 Never believe ANYTHING 60 minutes says.
Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 12:59 PM (YdQQY) Including the time shown on their clock

Posted by: Tidy Cat at April 14, 2012 01:23 PM (mFxQX)

48 Has Wolverine killed anybody lately?
I lost track of the saga shortly after the auto work transpired

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:23 PM (lpWVn)

49 ".I was really puzzling over that"

Lol.. don't mind me. Missed out on some much needed sleep last night so I'll probably be making even less sense than usual. Assuming that's possible

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:24 PM (R5yLq)

50
Aunt Peg or Lady Chatterly?

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 01:24 PM (jUytm)

51 Geeky redo nerd

You're kidding, right.
I live in Baltimore. It's a union town.
Even if the Village Idiot dies, there are over 5,000 people here fully qualified to be the Village Idiot.

Alas...I am afraid I shall always be the Apprentice, and never the Idiot.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 14, 2012 01:27 PM (FEUhD)

52 " Has Wolverine killed anybody lately?
I lost track of the saga shortly after the auto work transpired "

Rotfl.. nope, he hasn't gone ballistic on anyone lately.

As for the saga, well we shot past surreal, rocketed through the twilight zone and now we are out here it WTF land.

A couple of days ago I got promoted to supervisor. I replaced the supervisor they fired just recently.

Yup. I am now che-boy's boss.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:28 PM (R5yLq)

53 @52 Heh

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:31 PM (lpWVn)

54 SOS, on what thread is the promotion.

Posted by: madamex at April 14, 2012 01:32 PM (Ztp7S)

55 Is anything moving on the vandals that were arrested?

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:32 PM (lpWVn)

56 Yup. I am now che-boy's boss.

Sweet

Posted by: Timtsss at April 14, 2012 01:34 PM (joOtR)

57 Working on the cliff notes version of this thread'sstory.....

So okay, Montana AG Bullock-Dem, running for governor....decides to go after Greg Mortenson's charity to illustrate what a law and order guy he is. ....Finds some things wrong. Files some charges. Then, when it becomes embarrassing to Barry-O, because he donated to said charity....the whole thing becomes 'settled'.

Did I get that right?

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 01:35 PM (+5U+B)

58 @57 Probably just one of dozens of money laundering ops kicking back political funds to cronies

Kronie 2012

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:39 PM (lpWVn)

59 OT: Why is Obama in Colombia?

Posted by: cherry at April 14, 2012 01:40 PM (OhYCU)

60 OT: Why is Obama in Colombia?

A.P. say hookers

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:41 PM (lpWVn)

61 Other than good night, of course.

No, that either. Look out your window to confirm.

Posted by: local weatherman at April 14, 2012 01:42 PM (z9HTb)

62 Last I heard was right when you got promoted, SoS. Is the supervising going OK?

Posted by: Darth Chipmunk at April 14, 2012 01:43 PM (4tnQK)

63 Another media lynching? What's new? Not sure what to believe.

Posted by: cherry at April 14, 2012 01:43 PM (OhYCU)

64 59
OT: Why is Obama in Colombia?

Best blow? and Blow Jobs?

Posted by: Billy Bob, pseudo-intellectual at April 14, 2012 01:44 PM (hXJOG)

65 The promotion is on the ONT, I had a coaching session with che-boy that's on last night's ONT. Let me dig up some links. Pretty sure the promotion was on Tuesday nights ONT.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:45 PM (R5yLq)

66 "Last I heard was right when you got promoted, SoS. Is the supervising going OK?"

As well as can be expected I guess. The guy I replaced left me one serious mess. He'd pretty much gone ROAD - Retired on active duty. I've got a real uphill battle on my hands, even without Che and the Che-bots as team members.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:47 PM (R5yLq)

67
How about a post on the history of trumpet mutes?

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 01:47 PM (jUytm)

68
or, better yet, harmonicas in rock-n-roll songs

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 01:48 PM (jUytm)

69 I was wondering when this administration would hit bottom. And here it is.

The Vice President of the United States is charging the Secret Service RENT at his private residence. Yes, the folks that protect him. (Colombian hooker jokes aside.) $21K last year.

This would make Richard Jefferson blush.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at April 14, 2012 01:49 PM (7utQ2)

70 Well the good thing about having "bigger issues" is that you can, hopefully, use that as common ground with the troops. I'll find the coaching in the ONT. Hoping for the best for you in the meanwhile!

Posted by: Darth Chipmunk at April 14, 2012 01:49 PM (4tnQK)

71 Just another transplant cocksucker making Bozeman and the state of Montana look bad.

Not Bullock, he's a native.

Posted by: Fritz at April 14, 2012 01:49 PM (KWdVT)

72
Harpsichords

The Men Who Play Them and The Women Who Love Them

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 01:49 PM (jUytm)

73 OT:

“They had arranged to have a bunch of prostitutes come by and one of the agents refused to pay a prostitute,” said author Ronald Kessler, one of the leading experts on the Secret Service

Posted by: cherry at April 14, 2012 01:53 PM (OhYCU)

74 Naw, Wheatie:

Democrat running for governor fails to file criminal charges against another big Democrat. And letting a jury decide.

That's more like it.

Posted by: rdbrewer at April 14, 2012 01:53 PM (Iyg03)

75 The Science of the Longbow

From May Pole to Man Killer. Our Progressive History

Posted by: Beto at April 14, 2012 01:54 PM (lpWVn)

76 64 59 OT: Why is Obama in Colombia?
Best blow? and Blow Jobs?

And a member ofhis procurement team forgot to pay a hooker...and the whole thing Blew up.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 01:54 PM (+5U+B)

77 57 -

Sounds about right to me. In other words, this is a dog-bites-man type story. I'm having a hard time getting worked up about it.

Further, anything involving Afghanistan at this point, I'm beginning to take the reactionary (not our commenter, Reactionary, but he'd probably agree) position that anything other than a sheet of glass solution for that mess is probably putting forth more effort than it's worth.

Back in '04, leading up to the election, the Dems were screaming that we needed to get out of Iraq so we could concentrate our efforts on Afghanistan. I believe, when the history of this time period is written, the verdict will be, we would have been better off concentrating ALL of our effort on Iraq, and essentially none on Afghanistan.

Oh well, hindsight, and all that.

Posted by: BurtTC at April 14, 2012 01:55 PM (Gc/Qi)

78 “They had arranged to have a bunch of prostitutes come by and one of the
agents refused to pay a prostitute,” said author Ronald Kessler, one of
the leading experts on the Secret Service

Atleast they learned something from the GSA party scandal.

Posted by: Retread at April 14, 2012 01:55 PM (joSBv)

79
what makes one a leading expert on the Secret Service?

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 01:56 PM (jUytm)

80

First team meeting:

http://tinyurl.com/8yksbsq

Che-boy's coaching session

http://tinyurl.com/7n7buln

Still trying to figure out how to go back far enough to get to the promotion post.

The gist of it was the Managing Director called me into her office and offered me the job. We discussed some concerns over having me being Che-boy's supervisor. She pretty much gave me a handful of pink slips and told me I could fire any of the people on the team any time I wanted, their numbers would more than justify letting them go.

They have a new training class starting and they will be on the floor in a couple of weeks, sounds like I'll be getting the vast majority of them to round out my team. So I've got a couple of weeks to try and turn some of these dismal numbers around and get rid of anyone I consider dead wood.

Yup.. somewhere out there God does exist. And He's laughing his ass off at the moment.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:56 PM (R5yLq)

81 "what makes one a leading expert on the Secret Service?"

Cheap lipstick and a leather mini, apparently.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 01:57 PM (R5yLq)

82 The rot in the Secret Service started under Cheney -http://tinyurl.com/7d4oxax

It turns out that Mary Cheney was not one of the "good lesbians"; she was spoilt and entitled.

Posted by: Boulder Toilet Hobo at April 14, 2012 01:58 PM (QTHTd)

83 74 Naw, Wheatie:
Democrat running for governor fails to file criminal charges against another big Democrat. And letting a jury decide.
That's more like it.

Ah. ....So it was a white-wash thing from the get go....to be able to say "We investigated it and justice has been served"...?

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:01 PM (+5U+B)

84
Sure, sure. And you know what else?

The bad driving and maiming began under Bush's term, too!

Don't blame Joe Biden for running over all those people; it's Bush's fault.

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 02:01 PM (jUytm)

85 Can you imagine 14 Columbian hotties all looking like Sofia Vergara from Modern Family, coming up to you and pretty much letting you do anything you want?

Yeah, I'd be brought up on disciplinary action too.

Posted by: EC at April 14, 2012 02:01 PM (R15UB)

86 Totally OT, but another of the famed Brothers Gibb is on his death bed. http://huff.to/HEXS9M

For those who cringe when thinking of the Bee Gees, remember that it was their success that did them in, not their lack of talent, and disco was but part of what they did.

http://bit.ly/InJTlk

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at April 14, 2012 02:03 PM (piMMO)

87 Can you imagine 14 Columbian hotties all looking like Sofia Vergara from Modern Family, coming up to you and pretty much letting you do anything you want?
----------------------------------------------------------
YUCK

Posted by: David Brooks at April 14, 2012 02:03 PM (jucos)

88
We're gonna lose another BeeGee?

That's sad.

Posted by: Soothsayer at April 14, 2012 02:03 PM (jUytm)

89 Someone told me this site had the best Japanese lesbian midget pron links. Oh well, life is full of little disappointments.

Posted by: teej at April 14, 2012 02:03 PM (d+1xu)

90 The report made him out to be a brazen liar and a slick, unempathetic, self-promoting opportunist. or you could use short hand and just say democrat.

Posted by: jukin at April 14, 2012 02:04 PM (5oKRH)

91 @SoS

Congrats again, on the promotion. ....Just please be watching your back, man.

It stands to reason that Che-boy and his bots, would stilllove to do anything they can think of to torpedo you and make you look bad. ...No matter how smiley-faced they are acting now.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:06 PM (+5U+B)

92 89
Someone told me this site had the best Japanese lesbian midget pron links. Oh well, life is full of little disappointments.

If that's what you want, enjoy!
http://tinyurl.com/2g9mqh

Posted by: real joe at April 14, 2012 02:06 PM (w7Lv+)

93 Historians will look at Bush II's Presidency as they now look at Hoover's. (If they haven't already.)

The ineptitude of the present administration starts with bad decisions in the prior one. The present administration ramps that up and adds additional fascism and thuggery.

Posted by: Boulder Toilet Hobo at April 14, 2012 02:06 PM (QTHTd)

94
We're feeling a bit restless.

Posted by: the natives at April 14, 2012 02:06 PM (jUytm)

95 It stands to reason that Che-boy and his bots, would
stilllove to do anything they can think of to torpedo you and make you
look bad. ...No matter how smiley-faced they are acting now.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:06 PM (+5U+B)
But SoS has the power to fire them now...

Posted by: real joe at April 14, 2012 02:08 PM (w7Lv+)

96 "It stands to reason that Che-boy and his bots, would still love to do anything they can think of to torpedo you and make you look bad. ...No matter how smiley-faced they are acting now."

Lol.. believe me I have no delusions about their loyalty. But for now my job is to get their numbers turned around. I'll just have to deal with the rest on a case by case basis.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 02:11 PM (R5yLq)

97 95...But SoS has the power to fire them now...

For which they can slap a wrongful termination suit against the company, because of the prior altercation [out of spite, of course].....something they couldn't do before he became their supervisor.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:13 PM (+5U+B)

98 @92 - Is this a great country or what. Of course, knowing how the wind blows around here, that's probably actually a Mexican Chihuahua pron site. Jolly jokesters.

Posted by: teej at April 14, 2012 02:13 PM (d+1xu)

99 I have posted this before but it bears repeating.

I once watched a video that a utility made in parallel with 60min when they did a hit job on the utility when it was constructing a nuclear plant in IL.

The 60 min telivided portion made the utilty boss out to be a liar and crooked buffoon who was frittering away rate payer money. They did all this with selective editing they way ABC did with the Palin interview.

The utility version of the unedited interviews showed this plainly. The utility had planned on showing the edited vs unedited versions on local PBS stations.

CBS threatened the local PBS stations with civil action if they showed it and they backed down due to lack of funds for lawyers. This was before the internet so the utility had no recourse. They did furnish copies of the video to other utilities which how I got to see it.

It was an eye opening experience for me because at the time I still felt the news was relatively truthful. No longer after that. They are all a bunch lying shitweasels grinding their liberal ax.

Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 02:14 PM (YdQQY)

100 We're gonna lose another BeeGee?

That's sad.

*****

Yep.

My daughter, when quite young, would watch over and over their concert on PBS. When she was a teenager their greatest hits album was released and she asked for it for Christmas. She took a lot of flack for that from other members of the family but she played it proudly. It is a fantastic double-CD set.

If I remember correctly, they held, at one time, 4 or 5 of the top 10 hits back in the 70s and thus the backlash began. Even today I love to listen to Holiday, Massachusetts, and Words are beautiful songs.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at April 14, 2012 02:15 PM (piMMO)

101 Che-bots would need evidence of wrongful termination. He was told they could get fired now, and he is giving them a chance.
Anyone can file a lawsuit. Proving it is a different matter.

Posted by: real joe at April 14, 2012 02:15 PM (w7Lv+)

102 For which they can slap a wrongful termination suit
against the company, because of the prior altercation [out of spite, of
course].....something they couldn't do before he became their supervisor.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:13 PM (+5U+B)
-------------------------

Depends on the State. In a right to work State a company can fire anyone at any time as long as it is not one of the "protected specie" under federal law.

Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 02:16 PM (YdQQY)

103 As a liberal, he is entitled to live in a delusion and to profit well thereby.

Posted by: pat at April 14, 2012 02:17 PM (UFxap)

104 The creature looked at me and he smiled...

Posted by: teej at April 14, 2012 02:17 PM (d+1xu)

105 "For which they can slap a wrongful termination suit against the company, because of the prior altercation [out of spite, of course].....something they couldn't do before he became their supervisor."

Actually they are pretty much dead in the water for a wrongful termination claim. The company could fire all of them based on performance today and they have months and months worth of documentation already to justify that decision.

Their numbers are more than dismal, they border on the criminal.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 02:22 PM (R5yLq)

106 SOS, are you in a right to work State?

Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 02:24 PM (YdQQY)

107 Also, are any of the affected people in "protected status" under federal law?

Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 02:25 PM (YdQQY)

108 "Anyone can file a lawsuit. Proving it is a different matter."

Lol.. well I really can't discuss certain particulars but I think it is safe to say that the company has covered themselves pretty well from a legal standpoint.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 02:26 PM (R5yLq)

109 @Jim Treacher: Feminism has now gone from "You have the right to compete in the
workforce" to "If you don't compete in the workforce, you have no
rights."

Posted by: Retread at April 14, 2012 02:27 PM (joSBv)

110 " SOS, are you in a right to work State?"

Yup.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 02:27 PM (R5yLq)

111 @SoS
That's good. It's an understatement to say that you've got your work cut out for you......And I hope you didn't think I was meant that you would fire them'out of spite', I meant that they might try to do something out of spite to you.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:28 PM (+5U+B)

112 Thanks for the blog! The investigation of Greg Mortenson was a legal process, but the ruling definitely a political decision.

The Montana AG, Steve Democrat is a die-hard Democrat running for Montana Governor.

Mortenson is a Republican, and not a liberal, and has the backing of the Bush family, and is tight with US military command, of all people.

Posted by: Jim Johansson at April 14, 2012 02:28 PM (1M+BX)

113 Unless they are "protected" they can be fired for any reason whatsoever then.

And even if they are protected they can be fired but unless you have good documentation the EEOC can make life miserable for you. Especially the EEOC we have now.

Posted by: Vic at April 14, 2012 02:30 PM (YdQQY)

114 Looks like our intelligence section was right. The enemy is approaching from the west. About 5 counties away now. Appear to be attempting a flanking maneuver. Oh, look there. They have slipped a scouting force ahead about 30 miles in front of their main force. We now expect an attack by the godless tornados to be imminent. I repeat, imminent. Moving alert status to defcon 2.
Time to dig a hole.

Posted by: teej at April 14, 2012 02:31 PM (d+1xu)

115 "Also, are any of the affected people in "protected status" under federal law?"

Only one that could make that claim, and she's not a big fan of che-boy or the bots. Of the entire team she would be the last one I'd consider firing.

During her first coaching session she had admitted she had pretty much given up under the old supervisor. She'd ask for help and couldn't get it, if she got an irate call he wouldn't take it - etc. I assured her that was not going to happen anymore.

So we had a nice long talk and the last couple of days her numbers have skyrocketed already. I think she's going to be just fine, she just needed to know she wasn't the only one who cared about getting the job done.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 02:32 PM (R5yLq)

116 "That's good. It's an understatement to say that you've got your work cut out for you......And I hope you didn't think I was meant that you would fire them'out of spite', I meant that they might try to do something out of spite to you"

Lol.. no worries wheatie - the meaning was clear and the warning was appreciated. I'll keep a watchful eye on them of course, but we are not exactly dealing with subtle masterminds here. These are more of the poop on cop cars variety of liberoids idgits.

Posted by: StuckOnStupid at April 14, 2012 02:35 PM (R5yLq)

117 "wasn't the only one who cared about getting the job done'.

Welcome to my world. Don't hate me folks but I work for the govt. One of the things they're supposed to do though. Transportation. Wish they'd make me king for a day around there. Boy would there be some changes.

Posted by: teej at April 14, 2012 02:40 PM (d+1xu)

118 114...We now expect an attack by the godless tornados to be imminent. I repeat, imminent.

Teej....sounds like you're in the Bullseye Zone. ....Just checked radar and there's one on the ground in Kansas near Russel. Stay safe.

I like this radar site that has the storm chasers on it....it shows their little cars, and you can click on them to see live streaming video of what they're seeing. ....Link to it in my sig.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 02:41 PM (+5U+B)

119 @118 - Thanks wheatie, I'm east of there and a little south I think. If you look at Osage county I'm about halfway between the two lakes. Close to the fishin' is why I moved here. To me, it's the Shire, and home.

Posted by: teej at April 14, 2012 02:48 PM (d+1xu)

120 Great site, Wheatie! Thanks.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at April 14, 2012 02:50 PM (piMMO)

121 You welcome, guys. ....You can scroll around on that radar map to wherever you're wanting to zoom in on.
Gotta go for now.

Posted by: wheatie at April 14, 2012 03:03 PM (+5U+B)

122 Keep your potatoes dry!

Posted by: Ammo Dump at April 14, 2012 03:04 PM (WUWb9)

123 The report made him out to be a brazen liar and a slick, unempathetic,
self-promoting opportunist. He also appeared to be using charity
resources to promote his book, the proceeds of which he kept as personal
income.
So he's in line as the Obama admin's Integrity Czar. That or Money-Launderer-in-Chief.

Posted by: andycanuck at April 14, 2012 07:41 PM (HFim5)

124 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at April 14, 2012 08:25 PM (6HIQG)

125 @Jim Johansson:"Mortenson is a Republican, and not a liberal, and has the backing of the Bush family, and is tight with US military command, of all people."
What is your source for the above? Mortenson does not have the backing of the Bush family, quite the opposite. And his military "friends" certainly kept their mouths shut, that doesn't strike me as being very "friendly."

Posted by: snowleopard at May 06, 2012 08:41 PM (WB9xG)

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