AIR AMERICA IN DEEP

This is a REAL scandal.

This isn't just throwing stuff at the wall hoping something will stick. This is the real deal.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is probing Air America's loan. Of course, he's a huge lib and wanted to avoid looking into it at all costs.

According to the New York Post, Spitzer was pressured into launching the probe by "Internet bloggers and Republican critics [who] began pounding Spitzer for not intervening" when it was learned last month that the New York Department of Investigation was examining the dirty dealings of Air America.

For weeks, the MSM have tried to ignore it. Al Franken has tried to ignore it. Even the state's AG tried to ignore it.

Billboard Radio Monitor writes:

New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is looking into questionable loans made by the New York-based Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club to Air America Radio (AAR) early in the liberal talk network’s life. Spitzer’s interest in the case, which is already being investigated by the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), was first reported by the New York Post and has been confirmed by Billboard Radio Monitor.

At issue are government funds which were earmarked for the charitable, not-for-profit organization, but were funneled to AAR through its former CEO, Evan Cohen. At the time of the loans, Cohen was serving as a paid development director for Gloria Wise.

Although AAR is no longer affiliated with Cohen, who sold his interest to Piquant LLC in 2004, the current owners have said they will repay the loans to the club, even though they maintain they have no legal obligation to do so.

What huge hearts the current Air America owners have!

It seems to me that Billboard Radio Monitor is eager to distance the scandal from today's Air America. Why are they helping the lib radio network's CYA efforts?

Meanwhile, the DOI has recommended that Piquant place $875,000 in an escrow account, pending the outcome of the investigation, according to the Post. The company, however, has reportedly deposited $50,000 into an account controlled by an attorney for the network, to the dismay of investigators.

How pathetic!

Piquant had to reserve $50,000. For what? Is that the legal defense fund?

Cohen was forced out at the liberal network shortly after its launch when employees, affiliates and detractors learned that instead of three years' worth of funding there was actually three weeks' worth.

The libs are using Cohen as their scapegoat. It seems pretty clear that Cohen is a crook, but that doesn't let Air America off the hook.

NewsMax writes:

Last month, the DOI said Gloria Wise was under investigation for approving "significant inappropriate transactions" and using "falsified documents that were submitted to various city agencies."

In July, the Bronx News reported that the Air America loan "is at the center of the city’s probe of corruption at the local club." Subsequent reports have pegged the loan's amount at $875,000.

Spitzer's spokesman said the probe is examining "the conduct of the board of [the] charitable not-for-profit organization. The question is: Was their action appropriate?"

Appropriate?

How could it be appropriate for tax dollars to be funneled to a partisan, political organization?

Finally, after weeks of pretending that there was no scandal, Al Franken addressed the matter.

Again, from NewsMax:

Liberal yakker Al Franken blasted the man who founded his Air America radio network as "a crook" on Monday - even as he laughed off the financial scandal that continues to dog his broadcast.

...Franken was finally forced to discuss the scandal when a caller asked him to explain.

"Here's the deal," the Air America host said. "The first guy who was chairman of the board of Air America - Evan Cohen - was a crook, it turns out. I mean, I guess that's the only way to put it."

Explaining Cohen's role in ripping off the kids' club, Franken suddenly turned giddy.

"He borrowed $875,000," he said, erupting in laughter. "I don't know why they did it and I don't know where the money went."

Franken said he "imagines" that the funds earmarked for childrens' programs were instead "used for operations" at Air America, which was strapped for cash at the time.

"[Cohen] was robbing Peter to pay Paul," he explained.

Franken finds this all funny?

What's funny is Franken saying that Cohen was "robbing Peter to pay Paul."

That might be fitting if Cohen was illegally shifting funds between two private sector organizations or two public sector groups.

It gets a lot messier for Air America because the people's tax dollars, funds meant to aid children and the elderly, were channeled into their privately-owned, anti-Bush hatefest.

Air America is desperately trying to wash its hands of the scandal by blaming Cohen and claiming innocence.

They may manage to do some legal wrangling to distance themselves, but let's be realistic.

This scandal belongs to Air America. They can't disown it.

It's not as simple as Franken makes it out to be.

AND, it's not funny.