Supporting The Troops

by digby

… for a price.

Say did you know that these wealthy ex-generals expect to get paid to use their name for veterans charity? Apparently they do:

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Tommy Franks, who led the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, was paid $100,000 to endorse a veterans charity that watchdog groups say is ripping off donors and wounded veterans by using only a small portion of the money raised for veterans services, according to testimony in Congress today. Gen. Franks’ involvement was revealed as members of Congress questioned Roger Chapin, who operates Help Hospitalized Veterans and the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation, charities that congressional investigators say spend only 25 percent of the money they raise on projects for wounded veterans. […]
“General Franks was paid $100,000 to lend his name. We understand he developed misgivings and asked that his name be taken off,” Congressman Waxman said…
Chapin said it was “an insult” to suggest that Gen. Franks or Gen. Diehl had “sold their integrity.”

Did he give the money back?

I’m not blaming Franks for being involved with a rip-off charity, he probably knew nothing about it. After all, it was just another paycheck to him.

But is it common for top Generals to expect a paycheck to raise funds for Veterans? I thought the Republicans were all about volunteerism.

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