Friday, January 30, 2009

Rep. Eric Cantor is Stunned to Learn That RJC Leader Matt Brooks Pays Himself $700,000

Matt Brooks - Because Life is Good...

Sources confirm that a group of Republican Jewish leaders brought the hammer down on Republican Jewish Coalition Director Matt Brooks in a meeting with Republican Congressional Whip, Rep. Eric Cantor. The senior Republican Representative Cantor, who earns $174,000 annually, was stunned to learn from the meeting participants that Matt Brooks pays himself $700,000 annually from contributions of unsuspecting Jewish Republicans to the RJC (A non-profit). Matt Brooks loves to gamble and participated in the World Series of Poker in Vegas during this past election year. He led the RJC's campaign as Senator Obama carried over 77% of the Jewish vote. Following the election, Brooks sent out an e-mail to RJC members touting the "accomplishment" and asking for more money. Matt Brooks has headed the RJC for decades and has become jokingly known as the Fidel Castro of Republican Jews. The dear leader for life. According to sources, the Jewish leaders who participated in the meeting demanded accountability and indicated that they will not support the RJC as long as Matt Brooks remains: The RJC may be a non-profit, but it sure looks PROFITABLE for Matt Brooks.

Update: I just got this e-mail from Matt Brooks:

Hi Joe....Just wanted to give you a heads-up that there was a typo in your post. It’s Congressional Whip...not Wipe. Since you’ve gotten your facts way off base, thought you’d at least like to get your spelling correct.


Best,
-Matt

Dear Matt,

I want to thank you for the response and for pointing out that typo. Those who know me, know that typos are a weakness of mine. We all have our weaknesses I guess. In any event, You state that my facts are "way off base". I am very interested in getting my facts right, and will be happy to correct them. Can you help?

My understanding is that you are paid about $500,000 from the RJC and its satellites such as the Jewish Policy Center. I'm not including Freedom's Watch in that, should I? Combined with perks, benefits, bonuses and reimbursements I come up with around $700,000. Do you pay yourself commissions on fundraising? If this is "way off base", can you please correct me with the accurate numbers? How does one get paid full time salaries while working part time for different non-profit organizations? Or is it that you are working full time for multiple organizations? Or maybe there's more than one Matt Brooks? How many paid vacation days do you take per year? What hotels do you stay at on "official business"? What are the nature of your reimbursements? Am I wrong about the World Series of Poker and heavy gambling? I know the entry fee back in 2006 was $10,000. I know that you are listed as a pro on-line poker player (Unless you say that's not you). Some would call that a hobby, others might call it something else. Were you at the tables in Vegas instead of a large RJC event at the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum? Is it true that you haven't met with the Chairman of the RNC in years? Is it true that you hired a "life coach" as a consultant? Are all of the reports about your high-on-the-hog lifestyle of luxury hotels, first class travel and extravagant expenditures wrong? I understand that during this last campaign year you were spotted in Nantucket, Palm Beach, Aspen, Macau, and multiple times in Las Vegas and the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills... and showing off parts of your fancy-dancy 1,350 bottle wine collection at the Capital Grill in Washington... in a tireless effort to elect John McCain. That's pretty good for a staffer for a non-profit, don't you think? There have been reports of.. ah.. how should I put this, abrasive behavior towards staff and RJC members, not true? Why are there only two women out of 60 members on the RJC Board? How many large RJC donors have quit the RJC because of their concern about the attitudes reflected in this kind of extravagance? How does your compensation compare to Howard Kohr's over at AIPAC who manages to run a far larger and more important organization without sending out press releases with his name all over it every five minutes? Is it at least triple what Howard gets? And how does it compare to your counterpart at the NJDC? How about at the NRA? Maybe five times more? Are you in favor of transparency so that every RJC member (or every board member at the very least) can review the RJC's itemized financials, especially expenses down to the last dime? According to the RJC and JPC's 2007 990's, $163,818 were paid that year in accounting fees. Is that normal? For those kinds of numbers there should be some pretty good records, right?. How about we just open the books and let members judge for themselves? Help us help you. What do you say Matt?

Finally, and most importantly because this goes towards the bottom line, am I wrong about Obama wining 77% of the Jewish vote? Please correct the record with facts and numbers, I promise to post your response. many thanks for your help.

Joe

Waiting....

Waiting....

Waiting...

UPDATE: After carefully going over the RJC and the Jewish Policy Centers 2007 990's, a few things pop out:

The first thing that pops out is that the accusations made at the meeting with Rep. Cantor, and left unexplained by Matt Brooks, are extremely plausible and left unexplained, should be considered accurate. The two organizations share the same office. The RJC declared $3,430,872 in contributions, while the JPC declared $477,269, for a total of $3,908,141. Below are a few of the declared combined expenses of the two organizations:

* Under "officers, directors and key employees", that must be you, unless there is someone else that is paid in those categories that no one knows about? We have $559,183. Higher than estimated.

* Under "other expenses not covered Above" we have a whopping $1,055,836. There's the hole you could drive a truck through.

* Under "salaries and wages of employees not included in 25a,b and c" we have $1,235,804. That must be everybody else, unless you are tucked in there too? I must say that number actually seems plausible with four regional directors and 9 staff (or something like that).

* For Telephone the organizations paid a total of: $69,139 in 2007 alone. I'll let others make their judgement but that seems a little high for five small offices in the age of instant on-line communications.

* For accounting in 2007, $163,818 was paid. Hmmm, Maybe it's just me. Are you personal friends with this accountant?

* Under "travel" we have $45,888. That is certainly mostly you, but I don't put that into the equation.

etc... etc...

The point is Matt, that you can see how someone might get the wrong impression. You can see how the $700,000 in total after expenses, perks, benefits, bonuses and reimbursements, and all that good stuff... may seem highly plausible to a regular person with basic common sense, and may seem offensive to some contributors who may have the strange idea that a non-profit staffer should be a little less extravagant and a little more humble. Please, please, set the record straight, just give us an explanation that can be verified because nobody wants to be operating under the wrong impression. Many thanks for your help.

Waiting...

Waiting...

Waiting...

Update: Hey, I just got an Anonymous comment saying that "with your extensive research of Matt Brooks' hobbies and personal life, you seem obsessive. Kinda like a stalker." It came from I.P. address 96.231.111 (Verizon Internet Service) in Washington DC. Gee I can't imagine who in DC would send such a message? I say we find out who owns that I.P. address.

I love the term "hobbies, kinda like stamp collecting, and airplane modeling right? Don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to drinking and gambling... in moderation. as for "stalking", perhaps you have heard of the term "investigative Journalism?" What? only the New York Times are allowed to do that? Oh, the New York Times. That can be arranged.


________________________________________

Debbie Schlussel is tough and a good lawyer, and was one of the first (if not THE first) to recognize the problems with the RJC. Read a few of her postings on this matter here:
Beware of the RINO-JINOs: The Republican "Jewish" Coalition Panders to Islamists, Israel's (& America's) Enemies

Jewish Republicans Host Islamic Terror Supporter

Time for Top Jewish Republican to GOOOOOO

Remember: BAD PEOPLE PREVAIL WHEN GOOD PEOPLE REMAIN SILENT.

13 comments:

  1. A Madoff in the making........ it is despicable. Same lack of oversight. Transparency is a must. The RJC needs to hire an outside auditor to audit Brook's expenses and examine the finances of the org and benchmark against other similar non-profits They should start with is Capitol Grill account and his bills at the Venetian.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is shocking that the RJC has little or no oversight to deal with matt brooks and all his shenanigans. It is absolutely outrageous the amount of money he is paid... and all the "perks" he openly and secretly takes.
    Does anyone care? Why give money and join an organization that treats our money this way?
    Matt is an embarrassment to the RJC and to the cause. When is the board going to get rid of this toxic man? When are we going to clean up our own house?

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  3. Matt Brooks is disliked by many of the members at the RJC. Many have said openly that they will NOT rejoin the RJC until he is gone!
    The board appears to be indifferent and impotent. Why would they let this menace run the show for over 20 years. Even if Matt were decent, and he is not, even if Matt were effective, and he is not.. it is time for him to GO!
    This is not a job for life, this is not a supreme court justice appointment. The RJC is not his kingdom and we are not his subjects.
    He works at the pleasure of the membership and donors. And many are wondering why he is paid so much.. 3 times what Aipac pays Howard Kohr !!! He is too busy playing Poker and chasing down vintage wine to work. He is arrogant and abrasive. He cultivate only the wealthiest of his base to keep his lifestyle and status intact. He neglects the grassroots and has no campus outreach.
    Matt is dragging down the RJC.
    The RJC will grow once he is gone.
    He is part of the problem and not the solution.
    It is time that Matt go off into the sunset
    and ruin another organization.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I challenge the imperious Mr Brooks, our dear leader,
    open the books... show us how you have run this organization!
    What board members see the books?
    Who signs checks?
    How many signature are needed to sign checks?
    How often is their an accounting sent out to board members?
    Matt show us the books!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The insufferable arrogance. The stereotype of the ugly Republican.

    ReplyDelete
  6. As an active member of the RJC, I think these petty posts and the petty blog miss some very important points. First, Matt Brooks is responsible for all the success of the RJC and it is a shame he and the organization are being attacked like this. The RJC is recognized by people like Pres. Bush, Karl Rove, and Sen. Coleman as a successful organization. Second, Jews are 2 percent of the population and Obama outspent a poorly organized McCain campaign 3 to 1--yet for the first time ever Democrats spent serious money organizing the sure vote of the Jewish community. Was the RJC supposed to change that? Third, the RJC has brought together some of the most powerful and important Jewish Republicans and has an active group of over 45,000 members. Fourth, a few people who are out for their own power and not the good of the RJC are dissatisfied they can't tell people how to run the world.

    ReplyDelete
  7. An arrogant, gambling addicted drunk now trying to hide behind the skirts of others. Anyway, even if he did a great job, a ridicules assertion, he should go, if only for the purpose of bringing in fresh ideas and new blood. Unless he is indeed dictator for life. Why don't they just change the name to "Matt Pac"?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! Some guy thinks it's "petty" to point out these rather large issues of concern. Perhaps he should appoint him the head of his own business and entrust him with HIS own money.

    Is there a Matt cult out there? The people who built up the RJC and are doing the real work are the regional directors, who can't stand Matt. It's interesting that someone would give that guy all the credit and fail to mention the folks doing the real work. How typical.

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  9. "Matt Brooks is responsible for ALL the success of the RJC."

    ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The arrogance, the Chutzpah! That's the kind of comment that reflects why so many want to see that guy gone.

    ReplyDelete
  10. okay.. let me get this right... matt is responsible for ALL the success of the rjc?
    what success these days? 22 percent of the vote for mccain and the president obama's middle name is hussein? This is mattgate!
    get a grip.. we are a laughing stock.. the whole country is talking about this... so many important people will not take his calls nor deal with him nor join or rejoin the rjc.
    i guess he thinks he will leave this job feet first!
    what ever happened to term limits? where is the board when it comes to oversight?
    i guess it is a just a bunch of "bored" people on this board of do nothings!

    ReplyDelete
  11. what does the board have to say about the "matt misery index"?
    it is real and it is growing!
    hey powerful board members.. anyone home?
    i think this board is few clowns short of a circus!
    does anyone even bother to look matt and his expense accounts? open the books.. show us all the books..
    fox guarding the hen house.. no. it is just matt fleecing the rjc.

    ReplyDelete
  12. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS GARBAGE?
    I GAVE OVER 50 GRAND TO THE RJC...AND TO THINK I COULD HAVE BOUGHT AN AMBULANCE FOR ISRAEL!
    WHAT A WASTE... YEAH.. INSTEAD OF GIVING MY HARD EARNED MONEY TO A WORTHY CAUSE... I BOUGHT MATT BROOKS A WINE COLLECTION AND TIME OFF TO PLAY IN POKER TOURNAMENTS!

    ReplyDelete

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