Institute founded by Sanders' wife, son is shutting down

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

CONCORD, N.H. — The Sanders Institute, a think tank founded by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' wife and son, is shutting down, at least for now, amid criticism that the nonprofit has blurred the lines between family, fundraising and campaigning.

The Vermont-based institute has stopped accepting donations and plans to suspend all operations by the end of May "so there could not even be an appearance of impropriety," Jane Sanders told The Associated Press.

The unexpected move by the institute's board of directors comes as Bernie Sanders, a leading candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination, prepares for a wave of intense scrutiny into his political network and his family's role in its operation.

As a candidate in 2016, Sanders criticized Hillary Clinton over her family's nonprofit, saying the foundation run by Clinton's husband and daughter amounted to a back door for foreign leaders and others seeking to buy access and influence. The Sanders Institute could open the Vermont senator to charges of hypocrisy.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/institute-founded-by-sanders-wife-son-is-shutting-down/ar-BBUMLuk?li=BBnbcA1

[KitSileya]

1. Is that the one where half the donations went to pay salaries?

It had three people working there or something?

[obamanut2012]

4. Yes

[R B Garr]

6. Yes, and yuuuge salaries. 6 figures.

Family run.

[George II]

7. This is from the Vermont news website:

https://vtdigger.org/2018/07/29/sanders-institute-little-show-first-year-500k/

[Me.]

14. THree?

I thought it was 2. And yes, a good % of the money went to 2 salaries. Jane's son was paid $100,000 a year amid much criticism. THe whole situation had a whiff about it. Like Jane paying her daughter a couple of hundred thousand for a carpentry studio for the college Jane was the head of and which eventually had to be closed down.

“Last year, Politico described Burlington College as catering to “nontraditional students, such as veterans and adults. It grew from its original 14 students to about 200 in recent years, finding appeal with its small student-to-faculty ratio and degrees in unusual fields including woodworking.” Yet, when Jane Sanders first arrived at Burlington College in 2004 no degree program in woodworking existed. It isn’t until 2009 that public tax records show Burlington College paying Vermont Woodworking School $56,474 for materials, charges and lease of bench space based on student enrollment reflecting what appears to be the beginning of the College’s woodworking program. The college was forced to report this expenditure as it related to a relationship between an interested party (Jane Sander’s daughter, Carina Driscoll) and Burlington College. Over the next four years, funds to VT Woodworking School increased considerably from this original amount to $133,134 in 2010; $138,571 in 2011; and, $182,741 in 2012 (the last year program expenses are reported in the tax filings).

Despite scattered reporting on this story, Jane Sanders has never been asked to explain why Burlington College suddenly needed to start a woodworking program in 2009 - the very same year the VT Woodworking School expanded to its current site in Fairfax, VT taking on considerable expense of a new building and needing to find students to fill its cavernous 15,000 square-foot space. Nor has anyone asked if the College did what would normally be required in this process by creating a Request For Proposal (RFP) to solicit bids in order to guarantee that the process was fair and open to other entities competing for this business. This appears not to be the case given that the College was also funding another program at the same time (as reported in the College’s tax returns) that directly benefited the children of Jonathan Leopold, a board member.”

https://medium.com/@m.ferrer/nepotism-at-burlington-college-1a9af167ae9b

[stonecutter357]

2. wow

[CrossingTheRubicon]

3. Caesar's wife must be above suspicion.

Seems right to be quoting Julias Caesar here on "the ides of March."

Be careful with that head gash Sen. Sanders.

[R B Garr]

5. Wow, so just shut things down so no one can ask

questions?!

“The Sanders Institute could open the Vermont Senator to charges of hypocrisy.” Too late, we’ve already seen the hypocrisy.

[SFnomad]

8. BS might be worried about an "appearance of impropriety", but clearly still isn't worried about

a lack of transparency when it comes to releasing his taxes. His wife has been working on that for nearly 4 years now. Maybe with the "Institute" closing down she'll have more time to devote to those taxes.

[WeekiWater]

9. They had to shut it down because this is what it was about.

https://www.sandersinstitute.com/about/mission-statement

It was about that picture and image.

[sheshe2]

10. Seems you are right.

From the article in the OP:

Her continued involvement with the institute and her active role in her husband's campaign could have raised questions about the nonprofit's tax status under federal law. The institute was founded under Section 501c3 of the U.S. tax code, which prohibits it from substantial involvement in influencing legislation or participating "in any campaign activity for or against political candidates."

[WeekiWater]

11. The list of Fellows currently at the site....

Includes people who are currently on Sanders staff. Like Nina Turner. And endorsers of Sanders.

https://www.sandersinstitute.com/about/fellows

[sheshe2]

12. Thanks.

[oasis]

13. They can "disappear" the institute, but it'll reappear during the debates.

Count on it.

[Blue_true]

18. During the debates.

Bernie will just jibba-jabba and then say "it is not an issue, trust me" and his followers will dox anyone that has the nerve to say it matters. Then Bernie will pivot to attacking democrats on stage as being bought. Rinse and repeat ad nuseam.

[McCamy Taylor]

15. What does the Pentagon have against Sanders?

MSNBC is the mouthpiece of the Pentagon. It's why they hate Trump--he is a massive national security threat.

No, maybe on second thought this is MSNBC's effort to control the damage, a sound military strategy. I am going to go with the second theory for now.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. MSNBC is the mouthpiece of the Pentagon?

That's a new one on me. Likewise I'm willing to bet most on DU have never heard that claim either.

[NurseJackie]

16. What exactly were his stepson's qualifications?

Generally speaking, and except for small family-owned businesses, I'm strongly opposed to nepotism.

No good can come of it.

[PhoenixDem]

21. What are Ivanka Trump or Jared Kushner's qualifications?

It is bad enough that republicans do it. It is twice as bad when someone on our side of the aisle does it. It deprives us of ammunition to attack Die Trumpenführer

[yardwork]

19. This is part of a pattern.

[PhoenixDem]

20. Nepotism is not just for republicans anymore

"For a politician who runs on fairness and socialist principles, this looks like the old political games,” said Lawrence R. Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. “It’s a product of running a political operation in which family rules the roost."

What were they thinking?

[BlueMississippi]

22. Was this a part of some 1.8 trillion plan to help

unemployed wives and stepchildren that I missed reading about?