Monday, October 5, 2015

Musings: Double Standards

As Civil Beat reports today, the Hawaii Center for Food Safety has demanded, without success, all emails exchanged between five state lawmakers and seed industry officials.

The ostensible purpose of the request is to determine whether the biotech industry exerted any untoward influence on lawmakers when agricultural pesticide bills were up for consideration last session.

But what Civil Beat fails to reveal, likely because it's never bothered to look, is that Hawaii CFS director Ashley Lukens, herself a registered lobbyist, has never disclosed who is funding her work. In her reports for January-February 2015 and March-April 2015, she offers no clue as to how she earns her keep. No lobbying reports were filed for 2014.

Meanwhile, the 2014 tax return for her CFS parent organization in Washington is not available and its 2013 IRS 990 report makes no reference to Hawaii.

So the public is left completely in the dark, in terms of knowing who has funded Ashley's lobbying and other work, which supposedly is carried out on the public's behalf.

Why should CFS demand that lawmakers be held to a higher degree of transparency than a group that enjoys nonprofit status and claims, like legislators, to be working for our best interest? Don't the taxpayers, who are subsidizing these activities, have a right to know who is funding the work of “nonprofits” that are striving to influence the political system?

It's yet another example of the double standard practiced by anti-GMO groups, and allowed by unquestioning reporters like Civil Beat's Anita Hofschneider.

Gary Hooser's Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, HAPA, is similarly engaged in shadowy, nontransparent political activities. Though he was a regular at the state Capitol last session, and his group has launched a training academy specifically for “progressive” political hopefuls, neither he nor anyone from his organization have bothered to register as lobbyists.

After I wrote about HAPA's “Kuleana Academy,” program coordinator Aria Juliet Castillo contacted me to clarify that though participants will have to raise $1,000 for HAPA, their $9,000 tuition “is funded from grassroots support of Hawai'i residents and various grants from trusts and foundations.” 

She ended her email with: 

If you have any other questions, I would be happy to answer them.”

To which I replied: 

“And which trusts, foundations and individuals have provided funding for this?”

Crickets....

So what are HAPA and CFS trying to hide? Why won't they reveal who is funding their work?

Laurie Cicotello, a strong supporter of Hooser and HAPA, filed a complaint against Kauai Rep. Jimmy Tokioka after he erred in filing his campaign funding report. As she told The Garden Island:

Part of the reason why I felt compelled to do this was because as a voter, I absolutely believe we need to have transparency in the democratic process.”

But Cicotello seems unconcerned about the lack of transparency exercised by groups she supports.

Neither she nor HAPA made any mention of the fact that HAPA filed a report with the state Attorney General, claiming the organization is exempt from filing an annual financial report because it received less than $25,000 in contributions. Meanwhile, the National Center for Charitable Statistics showed HAPA with gross receipts of $121,446 and assets of $16,127 in 2014, the same year it got its nonprofit approval from the IRS and made that claim to the AG.

Hawaii SEED has similarly failed to register Capitol regulars Jeri DiPietro, Nancy Redfeather and Walter Ritte as its registered lobbyists, even though CFS executive director Andrew Kimbrell was featured in a youtube video congratulating Nancy for her years of work in the Legislature. And like CFS and now HAPA, Hawaii SEED is slow to file its tax returns, which offer the only glimpse into what they're doing.

Meanwhile, Monsanto, DOW, Syngenta, Bayer and Hawaii Crop Improvement Association all filed their lobbying income and expense reports, and contributions they make to politicians are duly noted in timely campaign reports.

But the supposedly progressive, supposedly transparent, supposedly public-minded groups hide their income sources and bundle their expenses, so the public can't easily learn who is funding their very political work, or how they're channeling those donations.


Rory Flynn, the capable editor of Farmers & Friends, (and I strongly urge you to subscribe) has done a bit of digging, and learned that HAPA received a grant from CFS to produce an anti-GMO/anti-seed company propaganda  video. (Where, btw, they used Gary's totally discredited claim that the companies applied 18 billion tons of pesticides on Kauai.) 

HAPA also got a grant from the Hawaii People's Fund, which typically gives less than $5,000, and another $10,000 from the Herb Block Foundation

But we'll never know to what extent, if any, North Shore Realtors and trust-funders are supporting the group's drive to draft political candidates.

Because at the end of the day, nonprofits are under no legal obligation to disclose their funders. Of course, groups like HAPA and CFS could voluntarily disclose how they get their dough, just like the seed companies have voluntarily disclosed how much pesticide they use. 

But the advocacy groups aren't doing what they demand of others.So they can lobby and influence legislators and the citizenry with no public scrutiny. And their funders can receive tax-deductions for what is in fact non-deductible political activity.

Both sides of the political spectrum game the system in this way. So when you see one of the players — especially one that claims to be "progressive," like CFS — crying foul, beware the crocodile tears.

71 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good job Joan! Thank God we can count on you to keep relentless pressure on these guys. I will check out this Rory guy and subscribe. Am surprised he could find out stuff that you missed. Great to have this new team to back each other up and keep the scoundrels and misfits under a microscope.

Anonymous said...

501(c)3 groups are not required by the IRS to publicly disclose their contributors. If you look at 990s on Guidestar, you'll find that donors are not reported. While the IRS requires 501(c)3s to report donors who give above a certain dollar amount, that information is redacted when the 990s are made public.

Most organizations voluntarily disclose their donors in annual reports and on websites, because it's a way of demonstrating who underwrites their work and recognizes donors who often like to see their generosity. HAPA and CFS appear to be operating under a double standard.

The larger issue is whether or not HAPA and CFS are violating IRS rules. Nonprofits are allowed a limited amount of lobbying without it impacting their tax status. The issue is whether or not they cross the threshold of how much lobbying they do (which is direct lobbying of elected officials) vs. what can be characterized as public education. If they do a lot of lobbying, they could still be nonprofits, but with a different status--like 501(c)4, to which contributions are not tax deductible.

Anonymous said...

Joan, I am curious what Ashley Lukens said when you asked her who is funding her work?

Joan Conrow said...

She wrote:

"We are supported by individuals and family foundations. For the sake of our supporters, we do not disclose their names.

Our lobbying work is primarily supported by these individual donations, drawn in large part from our more than 700,000 members."

I replied:

So ALL your supporters seek anonymity? Why?

And aren't you supposed to disclose individual donors who support lobbying in excess of $25?

Joan Conrow said...

And this is what Aria Castillo had to say about HAPA:

Our financial contributions are confidential.

To which I replied:

Why do you keep them confidential? Why no disclosure?

Anonymous said...

"To which I replied:

Why do you keep them confidential? Why no disclosure?"

Joan, are you or have you ever been a Cornell Alliance for Science Fellow?

Anonymous said...

Wow, Joan - you should send an invoice to Civil Beat, since you are doing all the work Anita should be doing.

Anonymous said...

Joan, so your response should be. Since your lobbying efforts this past year, you give up your privacy rights. Please supply this information. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Be relentless until they comply. It's only fair!

Anonymous said...

Dig dig dig Joan! Then you can shred the donors publicly so they will think twice before they donate again. The antis donors need to learn that there is a price to pay for supporting the anti GMO so called movement.

Joan Conrow said...

@10:58. No.

Anonymous said...

Hooser is such a sleaze.

Anonymous said...

Practice what you are preaching and disclose your funding too Joan!

Anonymous said...

Go get 'em Joan!!

Joan Conrow said...

11:53 -- I'm a private individual. I am not a political lobbyist or a political advocacy group masquerading as a nonprofit. Surely even you can recognize the difference.

Anonymous said...

Well, there are at least three Kimbrell's feeding at the Center for Food Safety trough, so perhaps it is actually a cushy little private family foundation and immune from public scrutiny. I can empathize with CFS funders who might not wish to be publicly associated with this fine upstanding organization that incidentally provides no food, creates no safety and seems to be a center for nepotism if little else. Nothing like padding the ol' payroll with family and having them head the organization (Andrew)- Sr. Attorney- George and Video/Media Director- Kaiulani. How cozy! Sort of gives you a warm gooey feeling about this "non-profit" that the shines light everywhere but in its own poop. Shine us all on, CFS, but not all of are partial to what you DRENCH us with.

Anonymous said...

"Why should CFS demand that lawmakers be held to a higher degree of transparency than a group that enjoys nonprofit status and claims, like legislators, to be working for our best interest?"

-Do you really not know why legislators should be held to a higher standard? It seems obvious to me that they should be held to the HIGHEST standard.

Also, I'm pretty sure CFS' Political Action Committee disclosed where it got all its funding, as required by law.

Joan Conrow said...

I'm pretty sure CFS' Political Action Committee disclosed where it got all its funding, as required by law.

Oh, do you happen to have a copy? Because according to Guidestar:

Organization has not reported Revenue & Expense data to GuideStar
Forms 990 filed with the IRS are not available
Mission Statement is not available
Impact Summary from the nonprofit is not available

Elif Beall said...

As Acting Executive Director of HAPA, I'm writing to clarify a few points for your readers: 1) The Hawaii Attorney General requires non-profits which receive more than $25K/year (averaged over 3 years) to register with the AG's office. This amount does not include grants from foundations, government, etc. which accounts for the difference in the state registration threshold and the 990 amount. See http://ag.hawaii.gov/tax/files/2015/05/faqs2-v2.pdf
2) HAPA is not making any false claims to either the state Attorney General or to the IRS; 3) HAPA is complying with all laws and registration requirements for nonprofits.

Joan Conrow said...

Thank you for your comment, Elif. I had just clarified the AG reporting requirements in a Facebook exchange with one your Board members, Bianca Isaki.

It was also made clear in the exchange that HAPA gets the bulk of its funding from other nonprofits and foundations, and not from grassroots donors.

Anonymous said...

The seed companies are complying with all the laws, too, Elif, but HAPA and Hooser still want more. Why don't YOU go above and beyond the law?

Anonymous said...

Bring out the old calabash funding.
Have a party, put out a calabash and at the end of the day it is filled with kala.
No harm, no foul. Tried and true. Works for many.

A big calabash could get Baby Hoos, Da Hoos, Felicia and others of an anti-job, anti-housing anti-local inclination elected.
Unless Mel does some real legislating this do-nothing Council will go down the tube.
He has done nothing to curb County spending, fix roads etc. All he does is recite Council rules to JoAnn. A dreary time for the Council. A wasteland for the hollow men.
And the Council asks for public input for "minimum wage" to enhance the people's lives. WTF, if Mel and his boys wanted to enhance our lives, they should get to basics and fix sh*t, lower taxes, lower auto registration, tell the Gov to lower gas tax, ask Wallmart to expand and provide low cost veggies etc.
A big zero for Mel and the boys. And a zero for Mel is a homerun for JoAnn, Da Hoos and Mason. The Locals get smashed to smithereens by the anti-Locals.

Dawson said...

The more the cabbage leaves of these political groups are peeled back, the more it's fascinating how closely their behavior parallels that of organizations like Scientology. The double standards, the secrecy, the compulsion to control, the claim to truth, and above all the demonization of any whistleblower who calls them out on their hypocrisy.

Anonymous said...

Dawson-
Purty accurate. But maybe a combination of Werner Erhard's EST and Scientology.
JoAnn is a big ESTh*le........but then so am I. May the EST be with you.
“This opportunity is a context – a particular space or paradigm, a way of being – which unexpectedly creates the possibility for a person’s life to truly make a difference."

Anonymous said...

1:54 prove it. Show us what HAPA has. Lobby the legislature with your grants and foundations funds. Show the public what HAPA has. Just because you said HAPA doesn't have to it doesn't mean you won't. Show us the action and not just words. Give us the list.

Anonymous said...

For you people who's against the do nothing majority council. Is it in some way your upset since you didn't vote for the majority? If you're honest, since you're with the minority group, then stop whining. The silent majority would rather have Kauai progress slower with less aggressive leaders. The so called leaders who tore this island apart with proposed laws that had no pre law reviews / studies.

Patients pal! After a couple of years of laws and cleaning up laws. It's nice to have small kine pushing and pulling.

Anonymous said...

Hana hou, 11:09! C'mon HAPA! Show me the money!

Anonymous said...

The Ag companies have done a good job involving themselves into the community, sharing information and taking care of the workers.
Perhaps HAPA or Da Hoos could politely ask for a tour and of the properties. Once these folks get on a real Kauai farm and see the challenges, beauty and care that is taken perhaps a civilized conversation can be sprouted.
What gets me, is that the old sugar guys always took care of the land. They knw it would be the future. They were here before Kamehameha, the US government and the State of Hawaii. The old growers knew that life was in the land. And that life was also in the workers.
The big westside land owners have done more for environmental protection than all of the government and social do-gooders combined. There are more flora, fauna and water systems that remain untouched because of these caring land owners.
We are all together on this island and most of us aren't going anywhere. Except for maybe the NS farm hands who work for 2 bucks and a tent.
Once Da Hoos gets on the land and sees the reality, even his ironclad arrogance may be thwarted by the beauty.
HAPA will be funded by the rich guys. There will be no sharing of donors. It is a shibai political camp. The membership will be made up of mostly newcomers. but they will get money and then Gary will be appointed to a real big-shot mainland organization. Big salary and benefits. He is already looking at close to a hundred thou per year from the State in his golden years.

Anonymous said...

Those old impotents need Viagra to do some work.

Anonymous said...

Elf and Bianca, How can you both with "honor" continue to be Acting Executive Director and Board member to one of your members / leader who continues to lie to people of Kauai and THE WORLD, who created such a division between the voting public, in a similar fashion as Joann did with the nukolii project. and what makes it even a greater crock of kaka! all the lies that was put out, and what, the hotel is still there and no enviromental disaster yet after what 30 years. And what, all the pesticides and crap, and no data to show.

How the Hell! you're there supporting this non profit. In the word of honor respect and dignity on this island of Kauai. We all knew he's full of lies, and what you all still wearing the titles of Acting Executive Director / Member.

GH this century's greatest lying politician. That's what he'll be known for.

On Kauai, that's some shameful titles. Show us the money honey!

Anonymous said...

The old sugar guys always took care of the land? And were here before Kamehameha? Are you referring only to Kauai? Are you considering the impact that diverting water from streams and rivers to irrigate fields had on the environment? Or the impact caused by clearing of huge tracts of land? Or the deforestation to supply wood for the steam mills? You must be a missionary descendant engaging in revisionist history like those assholes rewriting history books for Texans.

Anonymous said...

Whoa. That Hooser must be one powerful dude to generate so many haters. I heard he single handedly killed the SuperFerry, dethroned Abercrombie over PLDC, knocked off Carleton Ching, and threw the GMO industry into a global tailspin. Is it his personal charm and charisma or his cunning and strategic understanding of the psyche of the average man and woman on the street, that is the source of his power and accomplishments? Or is he just an idiot being followed by other idiots and they are merely stumbling from one success to another? How on earth was such a character elected and reelected to the State Senate?

Anonymous said...

12:41 -- Don't you know the Hawaiians diverted streams, cleared huge tracts of land, had way more land in monoculture ag than sugar and pine together and deforested to supply wood for the whaling ships and sandalwood trade? You the one with the revisionist history.

Anonymous said...

1:28, that's one way of looking at it. here's another. he got in the county council by a mere 60 vote. he lost his governor's race without a chance. He got snobbed by the rest of the senate after his short term there. I know it was a short term because the rest of the senate saw who he was (a waste of time).

it's just a matter of time. Look at his vote tallies. it's been trending down fast in the political arena.

That's just facts. and the GMO global tail spin. not really. there's still supply and demand for GMO seeds and plantings. So, as this blog goes, Joan's blog is still on it.

Hate! political leaders who lies! nationwide, they get called on, and that's what this blog is about. calling him out on lies.

It will catch up on him.

Have a great week!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, however 12:41...whatever they did, it was THEIR land to do whatever they felt was right. History is usually written by the conquerors, or in this case, missionaries with a bad case of manifest destiny.

Anonymous said...

3:39...you are an idiot who knows nothing about the facts. Hooser ran for LG and lost, not governor. He was elected and reelected to the State Senate beating two time Mayor Marrianne Kusaka. His colleagues in the Senate voted him Majority Leader for 4 years straight. Gov Abercrombie appointed him Director of Environmental Quality Control where he parked until the next election and was elected to County Council. He won his most recent reelection by only 82 votes but barely lifted a finger to campaign. Hooser may be a lot of things but he is no slouch and has won many more of the battles and elections than he has lost. You and Kagawa and Rapozo too are the slackers and inept blowhards. What have you guys been doing these past few years except chest thumping and making big body like you are somebody, when really you are no one at all.

Anonymous said...

What I DO know is that children in Waimea are being poisoned by GMO test fields upwind of their school. You all will debate ad nauseam around the fringe of the real issue. The crux is this: the GMO companies, DuPont, Pioneer, Syngenta, Dow and BASF are not Ag companies, they are chemical companies. They are not engaged in agriculture, they are engaged in the chemical testing of restricted-use pesticides - atrazine, permethrin, chlorpyrifos, paraquat, methomyl, metolachlor and alachlor. Wake up people, these companies are using Kauai as their chemical test ground.



Anonymous said...

2:58 where do I mention what Hawaiians did? Worm.

Anonymous said...

If that's what you "know," 4:37, then you have just shown yourself to be an ignoramus.

Dawson said...

4:37PM wrote:
...paraquat, methomyl, metolachlor and alachlor.

Get real, everyone knows Metolachlor, Alachlor and Balthazlor were the Three Wise Men.

Didn't you go to Sunday School?


Anonymous said...

4:03, that's expected from you too. Looks like you're pumping your chest. You're the one with more hate. you're no different from 1:28, 4:37 and all your misinformed lying friends. Backing the 7th place finisher.

Tell him pick a race 1 vs 1. Then you can pump your chest. Pick the right race against the right candidate.

Big man in the state, so why he had to come back to the County level.

1 vs 1!

Anonymous said...

"What I DO know is that children in Waimea are being poisoned by GMO test fields upwind of their school. "

Absolutely false. There are no statistics to support that claim. The state's cancer stats show no such thing. The birth to 3 stats show no such thing. The DOE stats for IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) show no such thing. The 504 stats (students with disabilities needing individualized help) show no such thing. Those are documented facts.

While the state was under federal oversight during the Felix Consent Decree for about 10 years, there was a rise in documented students with disabilities throughout the state. That's because the state denied appropriate education to students because they lied about the need. On Kauai the autism rate was about 1 in 1000, while the national rate was 1 in 166. Is this the magical isle? No. DOE refused to acknowledge the needs of the students and provide needed services. This was well documented in court and the now somewhat improved, but less than accurate rates track ok with the mainland.

There is still a huge struggle on Kauai to get kids who learn differently the help and support they need to succeed, but it's got nothing to do with gmo or pesticides.

Anonymous said...

Gary was appointed to OEQC because he was desperate for a job after he lost the LG race (or was it the Congressional race?). He had his cronies who were close to Abercrombie beg for him to be appointed to DLNR, but got thrown the OEQC bone instead.

Joan Conrow said...

And then Gary was told to quit OEQC before he got fired, so he came crawling back to the Council and raised his grandiose call for "a million little fists."

Anonymous said...

4:03 pm just wait till next election, just like his pal Bynum, the remnants of Bill 2491 and the memory of the redshirts will be the end once and for all of your great Gary Hooser. You mr or ms transplant are the idiot. Goodbye go back Home now.

Anonymous said...

Oh Lord gag me with the rancid rice from Tim Bynum's famous ricecooker.
Baby Hoos has written a long winded bloviating letter about the long dead Tokioka donation affair.
Firts off- Baby Hoos is just putting a free spotlight on himself. It seems Baby Hoos has the same inclinations as Da BIG Hoos regarding grandstanding and self-promotion.
2nd- The Tokioka affair is over. Dead, pau, kaput. Jimmy took the high road, admitted his mistake and took the punishment like a man.
3rd-The hypocrisy of Da Baby Hoos to criticize another man for his dealings with the law is gut-wrenching. This Blog in the past has preferred not to bring up Baby Hoos' arrest on dope dealing which was kicked out of court on a technicality.
Baby Hoos was busted for dealing in Ching Young parking lot. A well known purveyor of fine smoking material, he was investigated, caught and arrested. But as with many in the system...instead of pleading guilty, he pleads not-giuity and gets off on a technicality.
Jimmy could have done the same. Jimmy's fellow legislators who were popped for the same election violation plead not-guilty and the process will take years.
Jimmy is a real man. Accepts his punishment because he knew that "even if he didn't do the mistake, as the leader, he had to take responsibility."
Baby Hoos, sits in a parking lot, a well known pothead that deals. Gets busted red-handed and uses the system to squeak thru.
Now all of these events occurred a while back, but as Baby Hoos formerly known as Dealin' Dylan projects himself into a dead issue, he finds himself again called to the carpet for his deeds.
Sorry to turn the blog to this Ms Joan, but the tactics are the same...do as I say, not as I do.
Baby Hoos may be getting advice from Papa Hoos, but this time it is bad advice. Leave the smoldering weed in the pipe, don't bring it to the public.
I smoke weed legally for my bad back. Now I have to increase my dosage to include "nausea and confusion" from my reaction to Da Baby Hoos letter. Ah life is a good thing, I get to get more free Buds because of GI letter, legally. Thanks Dylan.

Anonymous said...

4:03. I'm glad you arrogant transplants find Mel and Ross to be chest thumpers. We need them to shut you guys down. no more passing invalid Bills like 2491, smoke and imu Bill, or the stupid barking dog law. I'm tired of seeing weak leaders like Hooser, Bynum, Chock, Furfaro, and Yukimura continue to appease all the newcomers who think they know everything. Amazing confidence in themselves! These vocal people are the minority, duh. The locals are humble but we know what's going on. Mel, Ross, Arryl, Kipukai, Arthur Brun, Chief Perry, and Billy DeCosta know that. Think about it. You're the idiot because you think you right and you not.

Anonymous said...

So many lies, so much hate.


Live and let live, your way is not the only way...

Anonymous said...

7:14 baby hoos was arrested 20 years ago for allegedly smoking a little weed in a parking lot and charges were dropped. Versus a sitting state legislator filing false campaign finance reports during an election and hiding $27,000 from public while people are actually voting - and he has been found guilty and has been sentenced by the court. Yes...I would much rather hang with Dylan than a crooked politician any day.

Joan Conrow said...

I would much rather hang with Dylan than a crooked politician any day.

Just make sure his Daddy isn't around, then.

Anonymous said...

So Joan you are saying the big fist is a crook? Do tell us more!

Joan Conrow said...

crooked adjective dishonest.

Gosh, haven't I provided enough examples?

Anonymous said...

8:34, In booth Hoos cases, res ipsa loquitur.

Joan Conrow said...

OK, I checked and Dylan was initially charged with possession, not dealing, following "anonymous" complaint he was smoking weed in Ching Young parking lot. The charge was ultimately suppressed due to sketchiness about the anonymous caller and there was some thought it was politically motivated because Kusaka was running against Gary.

Anonymous said...

All of these calls for transparency and yet... We still have no clue who exactly is paying Joan to write this "blog."

Which corporations pay you, Joan???

Joan Conrow said...

No one pays me to write this blog.

No corporations pay me, aside from publishers.

Manuahi said...

The "Big Fist" is a tax cheat. When he was in business on Kauai, he collected money from his customers for the G.E. tax and pocketed it instead of paying it to the State. Now if THAT isn't crooked, what is? First he was a failing business man and then a crook pocketing State funds. And Kauai (not me) elected him to public office?? WTF Kauai!!! How stupid can you get? He says he cleared his tax debt AFTER HE WAS CAUGHT, of course! But the truth is that he was forgiven the penalties and interest that we little folks would have had to pay. So he cheated us as well. And you like this sleaze?

Anonymous said...

Manuahi. Tsk tsk. So much anger is not healthy. Yes, the big fist and his business partners got waaaay behind but eventually paid 100% of the taxes owed. And yes this happened waaaay back before he was elected to any office. And absolutely Kauai has elected and reelected him over and over again even though his opponents all bring up this old, old issue over and over and over again. Why? Because he is a smart guy who does shit and is not just an arrogant ill mannered and almost illiterate like you know who.

Anonymous said...

Wow, Joan. The majority of your reader comments are pro-GMO. Have you gone to the dark side (dark side = if the $$ is enough, poison the well) too Joan? Do you think what the GMO companies are doing on Kauai is ethical, moral and/or good for Kauai?

Manuahi said...

Once a crook - always a crook. He was just showing us how he'll do anything to advance himself even if it means walking on the bodies of those he schmoozes.

Joan Conrow said...

9:05. And are you so ignorant and foolishly self-righteous that you actually believe anyone who supports GMOs is driven solely by money and is on "the dark side?" Why would you choose to live in such a small, false, closed world? Might want to remove those ideological blinders before you stumble over the edge of the cliff.

Anonymous said...

Not anyone Joan, just you. You are the one getting paid and dishonestly hiding that fact from your readers.

Joan Conrow said...

I'm not hiding anything from my readers or anyone else. I've been entirely upfront about working for the Cornell Alliance for Science, which is funded solely by a grant from the Bill Gates Foundation. It gets no money from industry, and it does not engage in any promotional activities for industry or any of its products.

So quit with the smarmy innuendo and false accusations, especially since you aren't even honest or brave enough to post with a name!

Anonymous said...

I am not referring to the Alliance for Science gig, am speaking about your other paid writing assignments such as your trip to India. You continue to provide your readers with only half truths.

Joan Conrow said...

You don't know WTF you're talking about.

I went to India for the Alliance for Science. I have no other "paid writing assignments," other than work I do for book and magazine publishers, none of which have anything to do with biotech.

Anonymous said...

7:07, get a life, please!

Anonymous said...

As if the HCIA is not paying you too. Fess up Joan. Half truths are what your industry is known for. COME CLEAN! The mission of the Alliance for Science is to recruit people like you and Joni Rose and Bronson to attack the red shirts and Shaka people while promoting the industry positions.

Joan Conrow said...

Now it's doubly clear you don't know WTF you're talking about. That's nowhere near the mission of the Alliance, and no one recruited Bronson, Joni or me to "attack the red shirts." We were doing it before the Alliance was even established because we recognized how ignorant, deceptive, polarizing, downright nasty (and let's not forget cowardly ) the movement is -- as you have repeatedly proven in your string of anonymous false accusations.

Piss off, bud. You're not getting any more of my time or my comment space.

Anonymous said...

Wow. A persistent HAPA/CFS stooge is running amok spouting the same tired old party line that will be prominently featured in the Kuleana Aademy syllabus. Depart to the Hooser blog, your stuff isn't worth the electrons expended.

Anonymous said...

Good for you, Joan! These idiots only claim that you're being paid off by the seed companies because they have nothing else to say. Nada! No information, not facts, no intelligence, and no honor. They make up lies about you because that is how they think; that's who they are....liars. They are corrupt Hooser boot-licking twits that have nothing to say of any consequence. So they make up stuff because the truth reveals their inadequacies and they're so angry about that. Sadly, there's nothing material they can do about it. They are the Luddite gang of Hooser's Losers. Doomed to impotence and irrelevance. Sad.

Anonymous said...

bad smells and funny goings from other nonprofits on kauai.. soon this bullshit is going to go public for all to see. stay tuned.