California Consumer Protection Foundation

Leslie Brodie CC BY-NC-SA 12/01/2012

Sacramento-based Pacific Legal Foundation President Robin Rivett, as well as staff-attorneys Meriem Hubbard and James Burling have been publicly asked by TLR to opine on events relating to CAUSE’s Ming Chin and Judy Johnson’s CCPF <img src='https://seenthis.net/

http://i.imgur.com/jOcJV.jpg

" alt="" width="500" height="224" /> (Image:courtesy PLF)
California Supreme Court Associate-Justice Ming W. Chin and CAUSE
<img src='https://seenthis.net/►http://data7.blog.de/media/273/5764273_818e8c0006_m.jpeg" alt="" /> 
As was previously reported, Supreme Court of California Associate Justice Ming W. Chin has recently abruptly quit his position with the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment ("CAUSE"). The resignation took place amidst an ongoing investigation by the California Commission on Judicial Performance.
A <a href="http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2011/08/14/california-supreme-court-associate-justice-ming-chin-subject-of-ethics-complaint-due-to-involvment-with-entity-which-cater-exclusively-to-asian-a-11667055/">formal ethics complaint</a> filed with the California Commission on Judicial Performance alleged that Chin’s involvement with CAUSE is prohibitive due to CAUSE’s invidious discrimination against those who are non Asian-American. The complaint further alleged that the associate justice must be disciplined due to CAUSE involvement in the political-process, conduct that Chin is otherwise prohibited in engaging in pursuant to Canon 5.
<img src='https://seenthis.net/►http://data6.blog.de/media/338/5617338_d381eb97c8_l.jpeg" alt="" /> Hon. Ming W. Chin
In Addition, Justice Chin’s clandestine nature and undisclosed involvement was particularly troubling based on facts as they relate to Mr. James Hsu — CAUSE’s treasurer as well as a board member of a (now defunct) sham charitable entity known as <a href="http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/tags/californiaall/">CaliforniaALLa> — as matters relating to sham charity <a href="http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/tags/californiaall/">CaliforniaALLa> would soon be considered by the California Supreme Court.
According to the complaint, records were sought pertaining to <a href="http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/tags/californiaall/">CaliforniaALLa> from the California Bar Foundation as well as from the State Bar of California to no avail. As such, and based on the blatant refusal to produce these records, a petition for relief will shortly be filed with the California Supreme Court seeking an order to compel the State Bar and its Foundation to make these public records available.
The complaint further alleges that without the “fortuitous discovery” by the Petitioner, he would not have known that Justice Chin and Hsu are involved with CAUSE as to seek the recusal of Justice Chin in matters relating to <a href="http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/tags/californiaall/">CaliforniaALLa>.p>
Similarly, the complaint alludes to a State Bar of California petition in the matter of Sander vs. State Bar of California which is currently pending before the California Supreme Court. In that case, the State Bar seeks review of a decision that established a common law right of access to data concerning minorities which the State Bar possesses.
Hence, the complaint alleged, there is an impression that Justice Chin may exercise his power in such a way which would benefit minorities, much like his involvement with CAUSE conclusively establishes that he stands united with APIA and otherwise wishes self-improvement for APIA more so than he does for the population as a whole.
California Consumer Protection Foundation and Judy Johnson
Johnson, who until recently served as the Executive Director of the State Bar of California, secretly headed CCPF for the past 7-8 years. During this period, she used her “clout” as the head of the agency to arrange for “cy pres” from class action settlements, as well as fines and settlements imposed by the CPUC on utility companies, totaling close to $30 million to be funneled to CCPF, which then forwarded those funds to various other non-profits, and mostly questionable ACORN-like entities located in South Los Angeles.
In 2010 Johnson left the State Bar of California in disgrace after a prolonged embezzlement of close to $800,000 by employee Sharon Pearl was discovered, and after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed State Bar related legislation as a result.
Johnson was recently also the subject of a complaint to the IRS for alleged noncompliance with various laws and regulations.
The complaint alleges CCPF and Johnson defrauded and mislead the public by intentionally omitting various data from CCPF’s web-site. Specifically, data concerting financial transactions between CCPF and an entity known as Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety ("CARS"). In addition, the complaint also point to various alleged inconsistencies in the reporting of grants from CCPF to CARS.
<img src='https://seenthis.net/►http://data6.blog.de/media/921/5453921_d67c3c86ab_l.jpeg" alt="" width="144" height="213" /> Ms Judy Johnson
CARS is a non-profit entity located in Sacramento, California. It was established and is headed by Rosemary Shahan. In addition to heading her own non-profit entity (CARS), Shahan also serves as an “adviser” to CCPF. See <a href="http://consumerfdn.org/advisors.php">http://consumerfdn.org/advisors.phpp>
According to sources familiar with the situation, CCPF professes and declares that it lists on its website all the grants it has issued and all the corresponding grantees going back to 2001. When visiting CCPF’s website, one is given the option to search by year or the name of the grantee. A search for grants funneled to CARS yields only 2 results – a grant in 2006 in the amount of $60,000, and another in 2009 in the amount of $7,400.
One can also visit <a href="http://consumerfdn.org/granteesList.php">http://consumerfdn.org/granteesList.phpa> for a list of all the grantees. (See also <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/california-consumer-protection-foundation-lis">herea>.)p>
Each of the above search options yields the same result – to wit, only 2 grants are listed that were made to CARS. Unfortunately, however, this allegedly is not the case, as CCPF’s own tax returns provide otherwise. For example, <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/california-consumer-protection-foundation-yea">page 28 of CCPF’s IRS Form 990 for 2004</a> lists a $60,000 grant.
This misrepresentation is allegedly the fruit of an unlawful conspiracy between Judy Johnson and Rosemary Shahan, and is very troubling on its face. This is particularly true given that Ms. Shahan, who serves as an adviser to CCPF, and presumably is familiar with the content of the website, should have alerted CCPF that the information presented is inaccurate and false, by omission and otherwise.
In addition, sources allege that various inconsistencies were discovered in connection with two types of grants from CCPF to CARS: the first is the Consumer Auto Advertising Fund ("CAAF") grant and the second is the Bank of America ("BA1") grant.
In 2004, CARS reported to the IRS revenues from all sources in the amount of $91,009. (See <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/consumers-for-auto-reliability-and-safety-yea">page 28 of CARS</a> 2004 IRS 990 return.) By comparison, <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/california-consumer-protection-foundation-yea">CCPF reported</a> that it had funneled to CARS $60,000 from the CAAF grant, and $61,215 from the BA1 grant.
Also in 2004, CCPF reported a leftover “payable” of $61,212 from the BA1 grant which it holds in reserve for future payment to CARS.
In 2005, CARS reported to the IRS revenues from ALL SOURCES in the amount of only $58,212. (See <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/rosemary-shahans-consumers-for-auto-reliabili">CARS 2005 IRS 990</a> returns.)
By comparison, in 2005 <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/ccpfs-irs-form-990-for-year-2005">CCPF reported funneling $60,000</a> to CARS out of the CAAF grant. This, according to the sources, already raises a red flag as it shows that CARS under-reported its revenues for 2005 by the difference of $1,788. (See <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/ccpfs-irs-form-990-for-year-2005">here </a>on page 22.)
Most importantly, however, in 2005 <a href="http://lesliebrodie.posterous.com/ccpfs-irs-form-990-for-year-2005">CCPF also reported an additional $48,970</a> distributed to CARS from the BA1 fund, leaving only $12,242 in reserve as “payable.” (See entry on page 22.)
Unfortunately, the sources maintain, no corresponding reference to the $48,970 was found on CARS’ 2005 tax returns.
TLR is closely monitoring the situation and will keep readers apprised of the opinions, if any, of Pacific Legal Foundation’s President Robin Rivett and staff-attorneys Meriem Hubbard and James Burling.

►http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/01/11/pacific-legal-foundation-s-robin-rivett-meriem-hubbard-and-jame

Leslie Brodie CC BY-NC-SA

Leslie Brodie CC BY-NC-SA 3/01/2012

CALIFORNIA CONSUMER PROTECTION FOUNDATION / CONSUMERS FOR AUTO RELIABILITY AND SAFETY SUBJECT OF COMPLAINT TO IRS FOR ALLEGED NONCOMPLIANCE WITH TAX LAWS

TLR has learned that a complaint for alleged noncompliance with U.S. tax laws has been lodged with the Internal Revenue Service regarding non-profit entities California Consumer Protection Foundation ("CCPF") and Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety ("CARS").

According to sources familiar with the situation, alleged inconsistencies in IRS 990 forms submitted to the IRS by those two entities, as well as allegedly misleading statements made by CCPF on its website, prompted the complaint.

CARS is a non-profit entity located in Sacramento, California. It was established and is headed by Rosemary Shahan.

Shahan, who as an irate consumer picketed a car dealership for over a month with an illegible sign, has established herself as an advocate in areas concerning automobiles, pressing manufacturers to build safer and more reliable cars, lobbying legislators to pass laws in support of such matters, and exposing schemes and fraudulent conduct by car dealerships.

In addition to heading her own non-profit entity (CARS), Shahan also serves as an “adviser” to CCPF alongside others, including Michael Shames and Stewart Kwoh. See ►http://consumerfdn.org/advisors.php. (See also here.)

CCPF is an entity headed by Judy Johnson, who until recently served as the Executive Director of the State Bar of California.

In 2010, Johnson left the State Bar of California in disgrace after a prolonged embezzlement of close to $800,000 by another employee was discovered, and after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed State Bar-related legislation as a result.

According to these sources, CCPF professes and declares that it lists on its website all the grants it has issued and all the corresponding grantees going back to 2001. When visiting CCPF’s website, one is given the option to search by year or the name of the grantee. A search for grants funneled to CARS yields only 2 results – a grant in 2006 in the amount of $60,000, and another in 2009 in the amount of $7,400.

One can also visit ►http://consumerfdn.org/granteesList.php for a list of all the grantees. (See also here.)

Each of the above search options yields the same result – to wit, only 2 grants are listed that were made to CARS.
Unfortunately, however, this allegedly is not the case, as CCPF’s own tax returns provide otherwise. For example, page 28 of CCPF’s IRS Form 990 for 2004 lists a $60,000 grant.

This misrepresentation is allegedly the fruit of an unlawful conspiracy between Judy Johnson and Rosemary Shahan, and is very troubling on its face. This is particularly true given that Ms. Shahan, who serves as an adviser to CCPF, and presumably is familiar with the content of the website, should have alerted CCPF that the information presented is inaccurate and false, by omission and otherwise.

In addition, sources allege that various inconsistencies were discovered in connection with two types of grants from CCPF to CARS: the first is the Consumer Auto Advertising Fund ("CAAF") grant and the second is the Bank of America ("BA1") grant.

In 2004, CARS reported to the IRS revenues from all sources in the amount of $91,009. (See page 28 of CARS 2004 IRS 990 return.) By comparison, CCPF reported that it had funneled to CARS $60,000 from the CAAF grant, and $61,215 from the BA1 grant.

Also in 2004, CCPF reported a leftover “payable” of $61,212 from the BA1 grant which it holds in reserve for future payment to CARS.

In 2005, CARS reported to the IRS revenues from ALL SOURCES in the amount of only $58,212. (See CARS 2005 IRS 990 returns.)

By comparison, in 2005 CCPF reported funneling $60,000 to CARS out of the CAAF grant. This, according to the sources, already raises a red flag as it shows that CARS under-reported its revenues for 2005 by the difference of $1,788. (See here on page 22.)

Most importantly, however, in 2005 CCPF also reported an additional $48,970 distributed to CARS from the BA1 fund, leaving only $12,242 in reserve as “payable.” (See entry on page 22.)

Unfortunately, the sources maintain, no corresponding reference to the $48,970 was found on CARS’ 2005 tax returns.

See original story @:

►http://tinyurl.com/6upu8ps

Leslie Brodie CC BY-NC-SA

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