More on Evergreen Freedom Foundation...

This from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services:

June 4, 2004
Advisory To News Media Regarding Evergreen Freedom Foundation's False Statements

Olympia - The Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) issued a news release on June 3, 2004, that contains false statements about the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and its ongoing investigation of child care payments in the Mattawa area.

EFF did not contact DSHS in the course of any research, and did not afford the agency the opportunity to provide facts contrary to speculative, unproven allegations.

Particularly offensive, and blatantly false, is this statement by EFF:

• "Fraud, obstruction, possible drug trafficking, and blatant disregard for law enforcement all amount to the state's Department of Health and Human Services (DSHS) ripping off taxpayers and putting kids at risk."

Aside from misidentifying DSHS, this statement falsely suggests that DSHS employees have committed numerous serious crimes, presumably related to child care payments made to child care providers in Mattawa, Wash.

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From the Washington Education Association on why EFF won't reveal the identities of its contributors:

As a tax-exempt "charity," EFF is not required by law to divulge where it gets its funding, despite its attempts to influence public policy. When asked by the media, EFF staff members refuse to admit who pays their salaries and funds their attacks on unions and public schools.

"We have a policy that we don't reveal any of our donors," EFF analyst Michael Rietz told The Olympian newspaper. And, in an example of circular logic, Reitz added: "We're supported by anyone who supports us."

What is EFF hiding? It turns out EFF isn't the grassroots organization it purports to be. According to The Olympian, EFF's anti-worker, anti-public education agenda is funded in part by the family that owns Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer and a notoriously anti-union company. John Walton, a Wal-Mart heir, is a major contributor to school privatization efforts, or vouchers.

While EFF doesn't want to talk about its donors, public records have shown at least a third of EFF's funding comes from right-wing, out-of-state foundations, including the Sarah Scaife Foundation and the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation.

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I wonder who's paying EFF for Bob Williams' recent contributions to Operation Overload?