More duplicity and deception from this vaunted "moderate." "Questions Raised About Rauf's Nonexistent Mosque," from IPT News, September 1:
The federal government considers the Muslim group founded by Ground Zero Mosque leader Feisal Abdul Rauf to be a tax-exempt church. But federal records show the group obtained that status by claiming to hold prayer services for up to 500 people in a Manhattan apartment building that has no space to hold that many people.The application for tax exempt status from the American Sufi Muslim Association (ASMA) in 1998 claimed the group had an established place of worship at 201 W. 85th St. in New York. That is a 17-floor apartment building.
The 1998 tax filing, called a 1023 form, is required for any institution that wants to be considered a religious house of worship and therefore exempt from taxation. In the filing, Rauf is identified as ASMA's founder. The application said the group was already operating as a prayer center for between 450 and 500 daily worshipers.
However, a review of the building and real estate records indicates there is nowhere in the building to house that many congregants. ASMA lists its office address as 201 W. 85th St., Apt. 10E on the tax form, while it cites only the building address as its location for prayer services.
The building has apartments only and no public spaces, such as a conference or a board room, to accommodate 450 people. Apartment 10E, building records show, is a one-bedroom apartment with about 800 square feet of living space. In the 1997 incorporation records filed with the state of New York, Rauf's wife, Daisy Khan, was named as an ASMA director living at that address.
But when ASMA filed for its church status with the IRS, Khan was no longer listed as a director. Instead, Rauf signed the form that said ASMA's address was the same as Khan's apartment - 201 W. 85th St., Apt. 10E....
It's all very simple... what, are you Islamophobic or something?
While churches gauge attendance by the number of people attending every Sunday, mosques get to use new math.
You see, with five opportunities to pray daily, you get to count the attendance at 35 "services" each week.
If you average 14 faithful praying in an apartment five times a day, you magically get a congregation of 490 people a week!
I'm not an expert on tax codes, but at one time I was on the board of directors for a local radio station seeking a tax free public benefit corporation status...501-3C...While researching the legalities I also read the requirements for churches and religious organizations, which are not the same...The governments requirements are not that hard...You must have a board of directors of 5 or a minimum of 3...You have to have regular meetings, recruit, issue literature and keep books...
The paperwork is similar...An article of incorporation, a mission statement, and a set of by-laws...If the state is satisfied the Feds will go along with it...Once a religious
exemption is granted, the church can operate almost like the IRS did not exist...It can invest money, buy property, operate businesses that are not religiously connected etc all tax free...
It's a sweet deal that's just a little too sweet...
America. What a country. Where else can supremacist Muslims come to overthrow the country and get tax-free status from the government?
With a Bogus President at the top , such are going to increase more and more till TIME allows .
Sorry for typo error;
With a Bogus President at the top , such things are going to increase more and more till TIME allows .
And as an added bonus for being considered a "church" (heh, heh), you're excused from filing a Form 990, an annual filing required of other (c)(3)s. IRC section 6033(a)(3)(1).
Unless (heh, heh) someone, such as a concerned citizen, decides to challenge that status on the basis that a fraud on the US Treasury is being committed. Such challenges are taken seriously by the IRS. Beginning in 2006 the IRS has been taking a much harder look at 501(c)(3)s generally.
The sky is cloudless, temperature in the 80s, low humidity. The course fairway has been freshly cut and there's no foursome behind giving time pressures. The ball is nicely teed up, thank you Iman Rauf, just waiting for a great big, mega #1 driver to give it a solid spanking.
Ken Vogel of Politico will doubtless be quite uninterested in these financial details, as well.
Rauf's tax-exempt mosque on W. 85th Street in Manhattan doesn't exist
...............
Why does this not surprise me?
And while the 200 block of West 85th Street in Manhattan—likely Imam Rauf and Daisy Khan's own residence—not all of Imam Rauf's properties are so lovely.
He is rather a notorious slumlord, as it turns out. I saw this story on FOX News, and here is the New York Post's coverage:
"Mosque 'slumlord'
NJ tenants rage at G. Zero imam"
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/mosque_slumlord_K7LEYxaJRDmD3IhbhkhtXL
By the way, Rauf has also gotten tax-payer dollars to "renovate" these tenements, as well. Here's one of the tenants from his cockroach-ridden buildings:
Francisco Nuñez, 46, who lives in one of the imam's Union City apartment houses, told The Post that Rauf "needs to pay more attention to this building because human beings live here -- we're not living here for free."
"We pay rent, which is the only time people come around -- to collect money."
Let's hope he doesn't send his partner in the Ground Zero mosque development around. When Sharif El-Gamal was faced with one of his own tenants behind on his rent, he assaulted the man, breaking his nose and cheekbone.
Aha, so that's why... New York might just provide it with tax-free public financing.
Actually... no that doesn't make any sense at all!!!!
Fascinating. After all their ranting about the First Amendment needing to be upheld...
Apparently, according to the article: Tax laws allow such funding for religiously affiliated non-profits if they can prove the facility will benefit the general public and their religious activities are funded separately.
okay...
but...
The Islamic center would have to repay the bonds, which likely would be less expensive than taxable debt.
How??? They're supposedly 'broke' and have no money, and .... their other 'mosque' doesn't exist, apparently either.
New York City's Industrial Development Authority could not issue debt for the center because the state civic facilities law, which governed this type of financing for non-profits, was allowed to expire about two years ago.
I'm now confused. Does the law which allows the financing still work or not?
Someone please explain to this non-American! (I'm from the Philippines.)
(PS: Hi everyone.)
Bill-yuns and bill-yuns (a la Carl Sagan) of years ago, I used to laugh at the cardboard "people" silhouettes in the background on American Gladiators to fill out empty swathes of the stadium.
Sounds like Rauf didn't even make that much effort!
"The federal government considers the Muslim group founded by Ground Zero Mosque leader Feisal Abdul Rauf to be a tax-exempt church."
Hmm, I thought that this "church" was first and foremost a COMMUNITY CENTER ...
It is no coincidence then,
Eight years of negotiating prior to a 2009 sale? El-Gamal was attempting to purchase the Burlington building while the smouldering pile flesh, twisted metal, cinderblocks and ash from Islam's act of war on 9/11 at Ground Zero was being pulled apart, catalogued and carted away!How many other buildings involving Ali-Baba's theives receive such tax deferments?
Such challenges are taken seriously by the IRS. Beginning in 2006 the IRS has been taking a much harder look at 501(c)(3)s generally.
I don't mean to be critical, but you may have forgotten for whom the IRS works (that would be the President).
The IRS may put on a show of going through the motions of "investigating" the Cordoba Initiative, but in the end Rauf and his henchmen will receive a clean bill of health from the Government.
Your comments about the people " silhouettes " made me laugh out loud ! Thanks, I needed that !
On another note, I wonder why the cash strapped, sanctuary City of New York, is not looking at this issue a little closer.
Doesn't every dollar count, in times like these, with the economy in shambles ?
Even if Bloomberg looks the other way, where is the great fraud fighter Andrew Cuomo ? Maybe he just can't spare a few state investigators, to look into this.
Or it might just be that, with the November elections,right around the corner, that Andrew is a little distracted, what with wanting to be Governor, and all... gotta make Mario proud !
That leaves the Feds. I'm sure that the IRS is diverting all of the available resources that they have, to get to the bottom of this...
If I maintain the "Church of the Inner Spring" in the bedroom of my home with "500 participants" in prayer, do they all have to be human? The dust mites are really religious. Oh, and if I change to a water bed, do I have to change my church name?
Methinks the Imam knows he is going down the tubes fast and, grasping at straws, decided to take the big gamble that he could open this huge center, get the financing from the US government and the Saudis among other OIC nations and thus bail himself out of the mess he's gotten into.
The guy has balls and is a true gambler.
If anything he should be tried for tax fraud and possible ponzi operations, embezzlement, relaestate fraud among other things once they start investigating his financial trail.
Oh, and if I change to a water bed, do I have to change my church name?
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No, but you'll have to note if it's a hard-side, soft-side, tube, or free-flow water bed in your required published church literature.
:D