Build The Wall Inc—LaFleur Raising Money for Trump’s Folly
Published 2017-05-17 by
Cory Allen Heidelberger
Dark horse Republican candidate for Governor Terry LaFleur isn’t afraid to ride the Trump horse. He’s gotten his biggest press to date by forming a non-profit to take donations to build the great Trump wall on our southern border:
Terry LaFleur—hey, is that French for “Wall-flower”?
“It’s every American’s responsibility to make sure our sovereignty is unviolated,” LaFleur said. “He needs our help. He absolutely has to have our help to get it done.”
…He filed paperwork with the secretary of state’s office earlier this month to incorporate a nonprofit charity and said he is prepared to accept donations.
LaFleur is swinging and missing at least four ways:
Donald Trump told us Mexico would pay for this wall. If he can’t make the funding happen, that’s on his shoulders.
If we really need this public works project, then the public should pay for it with public dollars, not fundraisers. Bake sales are no way to run a republic.
And for Pete’s sake, Terry, you’re running for South Dakota Governor! The wall won’t run through South Dakota; how about focusing on South Dakota issues to demonstrate you’re not the distracted crackpot that your upper-rung Republicans will make you out to be?
LaFleur’s plan is all wrong, but I can at least appreciate his enthusiasm. In the non-profit papers filed on May 5 to create Build the Wall Foundation, Inc., LaFleur makes liberal (hee hee!) use of exclamation points:
Terry LaFleur, Build the Wall Foundation Inc., articles of incorporation, 2017.05.05, p. 1.Terry LaFleur, Build the Wall Foundation Inc., articles of incorporation, 2017.05.05, p. 2.
Listed without exclamation points, LaFleur’s board of trustees include himself, Joshua L. and Stephanie G. Ihnen of Sioux Falls, Franklin Kurtis Brown of Sioux Falls, and Mark Rance Perleberg of Tea.
In a Facebook response to the Ferguson article and criticism from the local ACLU, LaFleur says he is not against immigrants, just “illegal immigrants coming here to become a drain on our economic and social system…,” which, of course, is a false concern, since illegal immigrants boost our economy and Social Security. LaFleur also defends his wall proposal by invoking Islamophobia:
Islam and radical Muslims’ in particular want to overthrow our government, abolish our Constitution and impose the religious beliefs, including, but no limited to Sharia Law upon all non-Muslim peoples’! [Terry LaFleur, Facebook post, 2017.05.17]
I’ll smile on surplus exclamation points, but not superfluous apostrophes. And Novstrupian Sharia hysteria loses you my vote right away.
If this qualifies as a true non-profit, then that means that contributions to this will be tax deductible. This brings to light one thing that has always rubbed me the wrong way about claimed “charitable giving”; causes like this, given the proper tax paperwork, are “charities.” And if given tax deductible status, tax money that would be dedicated to real charitable work like SNAP or Medicare or public research is taken out at the source and channeled into this work.
It is akin to the funding shell game used to get public money to private schools by the legislature.
Jeff Barth
Isn’t Mexico supposed to pay for the wall?
Jeff Barth
If we put in a border tax and my Tequila goes from $40 a bottle to $100 per bottle it may give me the impression that I’m paying for the wall!
Wanna bet most of the gelt will disappear or be counted as “expenses?”
Roger Cornelius
Given Trump’s continued failure at legislating and breaking his campaign promises it is likely the wall will never be built.
However, with Trump’s delusional mind he mostly likely thinks the wall is already built.
jerry
I will gladly put my address down for the money drop. I have a lot of overhead expenses though, but like trump, I can be a business dude or hombre.
O, wait a minute: so if LaFleur’s organization gained actual 501(c)3 status, not only would he be using American money to pay for the wall, but those tax-exempt donations would then reduce the amount of money available for more meritorious public works? Good grief—that’s like paying double for the wall!
Chip
When will Republicans disavow these wingnuts?
grudznick
They are disavowed, Mr. Chip. I hereby disavow those insaner than most.
mike from iowa
He looks like one of those Turkish security agents beating protesters near the WH today.
Porter Lansing
Since this scandal broke something has been troubling me. Trump wouldn’t give anything to Putin. Trump would certainly sell something to Putin and Paul Ryan recently agreed … but he asked his remarks remain secret. This make more sense. Trump gives nothing to anyone.
Roger Cornelius
Trump is probably hoping to build a high wall around the White House now that Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as Special Council to investigate Trump and the Russian connection.
John
This is what occurs when under educated children watch propaganda.
Jerry, I’m surprised Chad Haber and Annette Bosworth didn’t jump on this idea first.
Roger Cornelius
What happens to the donations when the wall isn’t built?
Aachen on the Plains
I think that old saw is appropriate: “grifters gotta grift!” I’ll spare the extra exclamation points.
Tim
This state is full of Republicans that have “sucker” stamped on their foreheads for all to see, money will be given, a “build the wall” battle cry can’t be far off.
Jenny
I think Gov Daugaard should hire him for Department of Tourism spokesperson.
Roger, that’s a question every donor should ask. But since we’re talking about the kind of vulnerable, fear-driven donors whom Annette Bosworth targeted, we can’t count on them to exercise their fullest good consumer sense.
If this qualifies as a true non-profit, then that means that contributions to this will be tax deductible. This brings to light one thing that has always rubbed me the wrong way about claimed “charitable giving”; causes like this, given the proper tax paperwork, are “charities.” And if given tax deductible status, tax money that would be dedicated to real charitable work like SNAP or Medicare or public research is taken out at the source and channeled into this work.
It is akin to the funding shell game used to get public money to private schools by the legislature.
Isn’t Mexico supposed to pay for the wall?
If we put in a border tax and my Tequila goes from $40 a bottle to $100 per bottle it may give me the impression that I’m paying for the wall!
Wanna bet most of the gelt will disappear or be counted as “expenses?”
Given Trump’s continued failure at legislating and breaking his campaign promises it is likely the wall will never be built.
However, with Trump’s delusional mind he mostly likely thinks the wall is already built.
I will gladly put my address down for the money drop. I have a lot of overhead expenses though, but like trump, I can be a business dude or hombre.
O, wait a minute: so if LaFleur’s organization gained actual 501(c)3 status, not only would he be using American money to pay for the wall, but those tax-exempt donations would then reduce the amount of money available for more meritorious public works? Good grief—that’s like paying double for the wall!
When will Republicans disavow these wingnuts?
They are disavowed, Mr. Chip. I hereby disavow those insaner than most.
He looks like one of those Turkish security agents beating protesters near the WH today.
Since this scandal broke something has been troubling me. Trump wouldn’t give anything to Putin. Trump would certainly sell something to Putin and Paul Ryan recently agreed … but he asked his remarks remain secret. This make more sense. Trump gives nothing to anyone.
Trump is probably hoping to build a high wall around the White House now that Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller as Special Council to investigate Trump and the Russian connection.
This is what occurs when under educated children watch propaganda.
Jerry, I’m surprised Chad Haber and Annette Bosworth didn’t jump on this idea first.
What happens to the donations when the wall isn’t built?
I think that old saw is appropriate: “grifters gotta grift!” I’ll spare the extra exclamation points.
This state is full of Republicans that have “sucker” stamped on their foreheads for all to see, money will be given, a “build the wall” battle cry can’t be far off.
I think Gov Daugaard should hire him for Department of Tourism spokesperson.
Roger, that’s a question every donor should ask. But since we’re talking about the kind of vulnerable, fear-driven donors whom Annette Bosworth targeted, we can’t count on them to exercise their fullest good consumer sense.