'Cos, No One's Gonna Really Be Free Until Nerd Persecution Ends

According to the Detroit Free Press, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is closing his NERD (that's New Energy to Reinvent and Diversify Fund) Fund.  The NERD Fund was formed to raise funds to defray the cost of Detroit's emergency manager, Kevyn Orr.   The Fund reportedly also paid the salary of a Snyder aide, Richard Baird.

The NERD Fund apparently qualified as a Section 501(c)(4) organization, and as a result, does not have to disclose its donors.    Synder has gotten some heat from watchdog groups and the press, who accused him of using the NERD Fund as a way back door way for special interests to give to Snyder.   Query whether it could have been formed as a Section 501(c)(3) for the purpose of lessening the burdens of government? 

Sadly, this arises at the same time that The Chronicle of Philanthropy (Sub required) raises the question "Can Philanthropy Save Detroit?"  It sort of boggles the mind that the closing of the NERD Fund is in the same issue of The Chronicle. 

And, most importantly, who the heck thought that The NERD Fund was a good name?  Someone FOIA that, stat.

 

EWW