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NPR Fundraising Exec Betsy Liley Target Of Second O'Keefe Video

Tracy Bloom |
March 10, 2011 | 4:17 p.m. PST

Executive Producer

Conservative activist James O'Keefe released a second NPR video on Thursday, this one targeting Senior Director of Institutional Giving Betsy Liley. Unlike the first video, which was released Tuesday, this one documents several phone calls between Liley and a man posing as a member of a fake group with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The phone call took place after the lunch where the first undercover video was filmed.

The latest video shows Liley discussing with a potential NPR donor how the public media organization could conceal the donation.

"We would certainly, if that was your interest, want to shield you from that," Liley says when pressed whether the group can keep their donation a secret. Liley suggests that the group can give the proposed $5 million anonymously.

Liley goes on to say that NPR has accepted a number of anonymous donations: "There are a number of people who choose to make gifts through us because, you know, they don't want their identities known and they like to remain private. And we do accommodate their desires regarding anonymity."

NPR on Thursday released a statement condemning Liley's remarks. “The statement made by Betsy Liley in the audio tapes released today regarding the possibility of making an anonymous gift that would remain invisible to tax authorities is factually inaccurate and not reflective of NPR’s gift practices," the statement said. "All donations – anonymous and named – are fully reported to the IRS. NPR complies with all financial, tax and disclosure regulations.”

The Washington Post reported: "It's not illegal for a nonprofit organization to accept a contribution from a donor that wishes to remain anonymous. But in this case, the issue appears to be how far would NPR go to protect the anonymity of a potentially unsavory donor - one that might have connections to interests hostile to the United States." 

The release of the first NPR video, which featured executive Ron Schiller making demeaning comments about conservatives, led to his dismissal. A day after the video surface, NPR CEO Vivian Schiller was also dismissed. Liley was placed on administrative leave after the first video.

NPR previously said that it had "repeatedly refused" to accept donations from the group.

Project Veritas, which released O'Keefe's video, said on its website that there is more to come.



 

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