June 01, 2004 6:52 pm ET
In his May 2004 NewsMax magazine cover story, titled "George Soros' Coup," contributing editor Richard Poe made several factual errors and misrepresentations in attempting to discredit financier, philanthropist, and political activist George Soros. Media Matters for America first reported on Poe's NewsMax cover story on May 19, the day after Poe appeared on FOX News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor to discuss the cover story. As Media Matters for America detailed in the May 19 report, Poe is a font of conservative misinformation, as is NewsMax magazine (a monthly right-wing publication with a history of publishing baseless conspiracy theories about Democrats) and NewsMax.com. Soros, who is founder and chairman of Open Society Institute (OSI), has contributed generously to progressive organizations -- including America Coming Together, MoveOn.org, and the Campaign for America's Future. Following is an analysis of "George Soros' Coup."
It's true that the Federal Election Commission doesn't require disclosure of donors to 527s -- but that's because the Internal Revenue Service does. Anyone -- including Poe -- who wishes to know how much money Soros is giving to 527s can find out easily enough; the Center for Public Integrity maintains an easy-to-use database of 527 contributions. This isn't difficult information to find: The second result in a Google search for "527" is an IRS Web page explaining 527 disclosure; the third result is the Center for Public Integrity's 527 page, which includes links to its database.
Some "admission"! All groups "may or may not" organize demonstrations. And "demonstrations" are a far cry from the "violence" Poe seems to imply Soros-funded groups engage in.
Contrary to Poe's implication that the Russian government was in some way involved in the eviction of OSI from its Moscow offices, the Los Angeles Times reported on November 18, 2003, "The institute's Russian branch was thrown out of its offices earlier this month in a midnight raid by private security forces hired by a businessman who says that the institute owes several million dollars in back rent and unpaid utility bills. The institute says it is resisting an illegal shakedown. The businessman, Kantemir Karamzin, has repeatedly lost to the foundation in court battles over the property. Equipment and records were confiscated by Karamzin's people."
The Project on Death in America (PDIA) does nothing of the kind. To cite just one example of how PDIA and its leadership have opposed euthanasia: PDIA program director Dr. Kathleen Foley (a world-renowned cancer specialist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) edited a book titled The Case Against Assisted Suicide: For the Right to End-of-Life Care.
Why didn't Poe tell us what Soros actually said about "that hotly debated subject"? Because, while Soros indicated that he personally thinks physician-assisted suicide should be legal, he explicitly said PDIA does not take that position. By truncating Soros's remarks, Poe created the misleading impression that Soros "justified" PDIA by speaking in favor of euthanasia -- despite that Soros clearly said that PDIA has nothing to do with euthanasia:
"I must emphasize that I am speaking in my personal capacity and not on behalf of the Board of the Project on Death in America. There are members of the Board who take a different position and the Board as a whole wants to steer clear of the issue because it feels it has plenty to do before opening that Pandora's box. Instead of getting embroiled in the debate on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, they want to support the training of health care professionals, enabling them to provide humane, compassionate care to the dying, including improved physician-patient communication, patient-centered care, better physician judgment on withdrawing or withholding care, and familiarity with the principles and practices of palliative care.
"As founder of the project, I respect their judgment. I believe in personal autonomy; I believe people should be allowed to determine their own end. But I also recognize that legalizing euthanasia could have unintended consequences, leading to all kind of abuses. The issues need to be carefully weighed, but I accept that this is not the first priority of the Project. Very few terminally ill patients would avail themselves of the opportunity even if euthanasia were legalized. After all, my mother refused my help and I am glad she did. The Project on Death in America concerns itself with the vast majority of people who are not looking for physician-assisted suicide and they have their work cut out for them." [Soros speech, 11/30/94, emphasis added]
A quick look at Soros's Open Society Institute website reveals that if Soros really wants a "secular society" with "no trace of religion in it," he's going about it all wrong: OSI has made numerous contributions to religious organizations. Recent OSI grants to religious organizations include:
Associated Catholic Charities, Inc.: $425,000
Catholic Charities - Diocese of Brooklyn: $110,000
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.: $120,000
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.: $60,000
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: $80,000
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: $60,000
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois: $45,000
Protestants for the Common Good: $10,000
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Educational Fund: $125,000
United Church of Christ: $25,000
Yet on page 26, Poe conceded -- almost as an afterthought, "It is true that his machinations in the former Soviet bloc have tended to strengthen U.S. influence in that region while diminishing Russia's." [Poe, NewsMax magazine, 5/04, p. 26]
&mdash J.F.
Copyright © 2009 Media Matters for America. All rights reserved.