Citizens United—the unintentionally ironic name of the conservative non-profit organization best known for the Supreme Court case that decimated the historical definition of personhood—is basically the worst organization ever to take up arms in the righteous battle against our democracy. But according to a new report, the group is even worse than previously realized.
In an article published Tuesday, the Daily Beast revealed Citizens United is scamming the elderly by soliciting fundraising from senior citizens with dementia and Alzheimer’s. According to the report, Jennifer Bell discovered the company’s scheme when a relative of hers was hospitalized. When Bell had her family member’s mail forwarded to herself, she began receiving upwards of five letters per week from Citizens United.
“I am writing this letter to ask for your forgiveness and understanding with a recent mix-up with the Post Office,” president David Bosse (who’s currently working as a deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign) wrote in the letter. “As a result, we were unable to receive your $50 donation.”
“If you can see it in your heart to re-send your $50 in the included postage-provided envelope it would be a blessing to us,” the letter reads.
But according to Bell, her family member never sent a check to the organization. And, as Bell points out, how would they have known her relative sent a donation in the first place, if a post office “mix-up” prevented Citizens United from receiving the check.
“The fact that they’re sending this fraudulent piece of mail that says, ‘Oh, we didn’t get your $50’—that means they know the person has forgotten they didn’t send a check,” Bell said. “If you send them multiple pieces in a day, they’ll write a check for every piece because of dementia or Alzheimer’s.”
Citizens United, Bosse and the Trump campaign declined to comment on the article, but if Bell’s allegations are true, it’s just another notch in the belt of Citizens United’s unethical (and frankly, anti-American) tactics. With any luck, we’ll find a way to beat these creeps for good.
Reprinted by permission from Alternet. Elizabeth Preza is an AlterNet staff writer focusing on politics, media and cultural criticism. Follow her on Twitter @lizacisms.
Photo: Shutterstock.com
