Short version: Glen Busch was the Chicago director of the nonprofit Coats for Kids, right up to the point where he (on his own personal Facebook page, and on his own time) made the completely accurate and noncontroversial points that Tucson shooter Jared Loughney was not, in point of fact, a right-wing crazy; and that later evidence that Loughney has left-wing beliefs didn’t prove anything about the situation, either. A day later, Coats for Kids national president Paul Darby (of Virginia: guess where he and his wife Cheryl’s political contributions overwhelmingly went in previous election cycles*?) fired Busch for it.
That’s not the (most) galling part: no, the most galling part is that Darby actually wrote Busch to tell him that “You have every right to make whatever comments that you wish as a citizen” while firing Busch for the comments that Busch made as a citizen. It’s not actually contradictory – this sort of volunteer work is typically ‘at will,’ which means that Darby could have removed Busch for any reason, or none – but it’s incredibly tin-eared to remove a guy for (accurately) saying things on Saturday that the President of the United States essentially repeated the next Wednesday. Honestly: unless there’s something here we’re not being told, my major problem with Ed Morrissey’s take on it is that it’s being too nice.
You can contact Coats for Kids at 703-567-COAT, or email at coatsforkidsfoundation@gmail.com . Be sure to be civil when you ask them if this was really how they wanted conservatives to notice their charity.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
*Although I’m sure that Darby and Coats for Kids will be happy to take your dirty rightist hater Christianist teab*gger wing-nut fascist money. As long as you don’t talk to them. Or make eye contact.
For that Paul Darby donation link, you want to select “search all cycles”
Thank you for your post. I had no idea this thing was going around like this. I actually made the same comments to my wife when i saw the President’s address. I was wrong in that I called that kid a Democrat as he is now known to be a registered independent but I was reffering to news reports that he was a supporter of Rep Giffords in the past. I have been amazed at how so many have defended my rights even those who may not agree with them. I do ask that the charity not suffer over this and that we can rise above it all regardless of the outcome. No reply yet from Mr. Darby. Thanks again
Glen
Sent off an email. Hope this goes viral. What a shame. Best of luck to Glen Bush. Hope they get flooded with emails. Unhappy emails that is! Thanks for proving the methods of contact