Title: Jim Robinson offers his input on the first amendment Source:
[None] URL Source:http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3430043/posts Published:May 12, 2016 Author:Jim Robinson Post Date:2016-05-12 18:05:43 by no gnu taxes Keywords:None Views:10364 Comments:60
FR has never been a public place. Free speech is not protected in non public places. Posting in FR or LF is a privilege. Why shouldn't the wheel chair veggie have a say in a forum owned by him?
I believe the author of the article recognized that. His objection was to his fundraising page which stated, "We are beholden to no political party,” and “... we are fiercely independent and enjoy our freedom to speak plainly.”
His objection was to his fundraising page which stated, "We are beholden to no political party,” and “... we are fiercely independent and enjoy our freedom to speak plainly.”
Well, if you contribute to the site thinking you have the freedom to speak plainly, criticize Trump, and then get banned ... yeah, I'd say that was a fraudulent extortion of money.
Anyone dumb enough to give money to a site that censors political speech deserves to lose it.
Given it probably takes less than $200 a year to run that website, and he manages to finagle more than 300K a year from it, I guess you have to admire his PT Barnum mentality.
Given it probably takes less than $200 a year to run that website, and he manages to finagle more than 300K a year from it, I guess you have to admire his PT Barnum mentality.
#57. To: ConservingFreedom, no gnu taxes, misterwhite (#54)
Interesting expense report at https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/budget. $7000 per month for "Systems and Programming"?! So sonny-boy has an $84K "job" at FR?
Free Republic, LLC is a non-commercial, limited liability company founded and operated by Jim Robinson (jimrob@psnw.com), a private citizen of Fresno California.
Free Republic is not a for profit commercial enterprise in the sense of a traditional business selling a product or service at a profit for its shareholders. We sell no product or service. We have no clients, customers or employees. We do not accept paid advertising. Free Republic is not affiliated with any political party, group, news source, government agency or anyone else.
Free Republic is not a traditional business. We are a political discussion forum and independent grassroots conservative activist group supported by donations from our readers and participants. When and if our participants decide we are no longer needed or viable, we will close down shop and go away.
Free Republic operates on an approximate $360,000 annual budget (click for breakdown) which includes all equipment costs, bandwidth fees, consulting and labor costs, administrative costs, license fees, insurance, rents, communications costs, office expenses, advertising, travel, professional fees, banking and credit card fees, taxes, etc. Like most labor intensive organizations, the bulk of our costs are personnel related. We have one general manager and webmaster, one systems, programming and computer guru, one programming and management assistant and one bookkeeper/business administrator. The four of us are all members (partners) of the LLC. We own and operate our own servers and our proprietary software was developed and is maintained inhouse.
Free Republic is not a charity or IRS non-profit organization. We do not raise funds for charitable purposes or causes. We raise funds solely to cover our operating costs, labor, and all applicable state and federal income and payroll taxes.
- - - - -
Free Republic, LLC is a non-commercial, limited liability company
Free Republic LLC is a for-profit company. The LLC is the owner of the website. Jim Robinson is one of the members of the LLC.
Free Republic is not a for profit commercial enterprise in the sense of a traditional business selling a product or service at a profit for its shareholders.
Free Republic is a for-profit enterprise in the sense of making money for the members of the LLC.
It operates as a pass-through corporation, with the profits passing through to the LLC members, to be reported by them as personal income.
Saying FR is not a for profit commercial enterprise in the sense of a traditional business is but to avoid overtly saying that FRis a for profit enterprise in what FR says is a non-traditional business. When the wordsmithing is boiled down, FR is a for-profit business.
Just for the record, here is where the court determined Free Republic was a for-profit limited liability company.
The parties dispute whether Free Republic is a for-profit or not-far-profit entity. Despite this purported disagreement, it appears uncontroverted that Free Republic is presently a for-profit limited liability company. Free Republic's corporate counsel is currently preparing documents seeking tax-exempt status for the Free Republic Institute, a company incorporated on September 27, 1999. Nothing has yet been submitted to the IRS, however, and tax-exempt status has not been granted.
The court certainly did. Back at the time of the lawsuit, FR, LLC claimed to be a not-for-profit organization.
FR's changing self-description:
2/29/2000: "Free Republic, LLC is a non-commercial not-for-profit (filing for 501(c)(4) non-profit status is pending) limited liability company."
2/8/2001: "Free Republic is not a for profit commercial enterprise in the sense of a traditional business selling a product or service at a profit for its shareholders."
The 2001 sleight of hand does not claim FR is a non-profit. It claims FR is not a for profit commercial enterprise in the sense of a traditional business, i.e., it is a for-profit business as far as the courts and the IRS are concerned.
The 2001 statement cites FR, not FR LLC. Oe might say it only references the web site, not the corporate entity.
