Possible Investigation into HSUS over whether HSUS imprperly spent the funds collected to benefit pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina

Attention dog lovers!
PLEASE CROSS-POST

The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom has learned that the office of Louisiana Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell is considering whether to re-open an investigation into the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The investigation concerns whether HSUS improperly spent some of the $34 million it raised for the benefit of pets displace d by Hurricane Katrina.
Apparently, Caldwell's office received a deluge of phone calls last week, beginning the day after Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV aired an exposé of HSUS's fundraising activities. In that report, WSB called HSUS "an organization actively misleading donors to get money." The TV station also explored just how little of HSUS's "Katrina" fundraising appears to have been spent on genuine Katrina-related disaster relief.
This was a fabulous piece of journalism on a subject many news outlets have been too intimidated or too biased to cover. (WSB-TV is working on a follow-up story, but we'll all just have to wait patiently for that.)
An anonymous animal lover has made the video of the May 14 report available at http://is.gd/ BQGu -- Note that there's no way to know if HSUS will be successful at continually censoring this video. (At least one previous version was pulled from YouTube this week after being viewed more than 50,000 times.)
Here's what you can do to help:
(1) CALL the Consumer Protection Section of the Louisiana Attorney General's Office during regular business hours. The toll-free number is 800-351-4889. If you live in Louisiana, please call the local number at 225-326-6465, or the general office number at 225-326-6200.

Tell whoever answers that you would like the Attorney General to re-open his investigation of the Humane Society of the United States. Remind him/her that there's no official accounting of how HSUS spent most of the $34 million it raised after Hurricane Katrina.

Before you hang up, ask to be transferred to Assistant Attorney General Mimi Hunley. If you get through to Ms. Hunley, please be polite and make the same request of her or her staff.
(2) P lease follow-up with a polite e-mail to ConsumerInfo@ag.state.la.us, and let the A.G.'s office read your request in your own words. Drop me an e-mail at Martosko@ConsumerFreedom.com and let me know how everything went. (Or just "BCC" me on your follow-up e-mail.)
(3) Share the video of WSB-TV's exposé with your friends, colleagues, family, and neighbors. It remains available (for now) at http://is.gd/ BQGu -- If this video should disappear, feel free to e-mail me and ask if another version has popped up anywhere.
(4) If you are able, please consider making a donation to the Center for Consumer Freedom so we can keep putting pressure on the Humane Society of the United States. We've got some exciting plans for the months ahead, but we need additional resources to make it all work. For every dollar we raise, HSUS typically raises about $30.

Donations can be made at http://www.consumer freedom.com/donations.cfm and they are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Center for Consumer Freedom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Thanks for all you do to provide for animals. Remember: You are the real animal advocates. And we're on your side.

David Martosko
Director of Research
martosko@ConsumerFreedom.com
www.Twitter.com/DMartosko
The Center for Consumer Freedom
www.ConsumerFreedom.com
www.PETAkillsAnimals.com
www.HumaneWatch.org