WASHINGTON — Democrats are charging that commercials financed by an increasingly prominent conservative foundation with ties to the Tea Party violate the foundation's tax-exempt status.
"For too long, SUNY Research Foundation employees took advantage of lax oversight to cheat taxpayers, skirt state laws and violate the foundation's own policies," Mr. DiNapoli said in a statement.
"People said 'it's OK to have an opinion, as long as you don't express that opinion.' If you stifle people's ability to express their opinions, we're violating the foundations of freedom of expression in our country".
Thus, Virginia's poll tax was unconstitutional even if it impacted only a few people because it violated the foundations of our democracy to deny the right to vote to someone who could not pay a minimal tax.
The inquiry follows the circulation of a foundation e-mail message that described the employees who were fired as violating the foundation's expense policy.
And I worry that someday people entering the business -- and some who have been in it awhile -- may be tempted to take short cuts, to violate the basic ethical foundation that is essential if public relations is to retain its ability to reach and inform the constituencies that are critical to the health and vigor of America's businesses and institutions.
But even while allowing the foundation to violate the wishes of its founder, Albert C. Barnes — who mandated that no picture could ever be moved on the walls — the judge said that a transplanted Barnes should strive to be a re-creation of the original.
The student, Jay Raymond, is appealing a ruling in December by a Montgomery County Orphans' Court judge that in order to salvage its finances the foundation can violate the wishes of its founder, Albert C. Barnes, and move to a site where more people could see the collection.
Miles Moretti, the president of the foundation, said an auction "doesn't violate the North American model.
But U.C.L.A.'s general counsel said that allowing the foundation to handle funds specifically set aside for black students might violate the law.
