Claims of corruption: Difference between revisions

1,662 bytes added ,  10 September 2004
these accusations were discussed extensively in [http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikipedia-l/2004-May/015211.html]
(repairing vandalism damage: the source of the claims doesn't matter if they are easily documented, as they are (how to do so is now listed here), making "allegation" vs. "fact" more clear)
(these accusations were discussed extensively in [http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikipedia-l/2004-May/015211.html])
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*solicitation of donations beyond Florida state lines - this violates US federal law which states clearly that only federally-registered [[charitable status]] entitles an organization to make such solicitations;  
*solicitation of donations beyond Florida state lines - this violates US federal law which states clearly that only federally-registered [[charitable status]] entitles an organization to make such solicitations;  


::Response:  Granted, [[English Wikipedia User Anthere|I[[ do not know if this is true. Please provide the relevant article in the law. The federal registration is under way. If it were true, it would be a legal issue, not a sign of corruption as nothing is hidden. People pay willingly, the near entirety of the money is used according to donators will and the uses made with the money are absolutely transparent. COnsequently, not only is this accusation doubtful, but even if it were true, it constitute defaming to make an accusation of corruption.
::Response:  Granted, [[English Wikipedia User Anthere|I]] do not know if this is true. Please provide the relevant article in the law. The federal registration is under way. If it were true, it would be a legal issue, not a sign of corruption as nothing is hidden. People pay willingly, the near entirety of the money is used according to donators will and the uses made with the money are absolutely transparent. COnsequently, not only is this accusation doubtful, but even if it were true, it constitute defaming to make an accusation of corruption.


:::Response:  We are not your lawyer.  We are not your advisor.  Ignore this allegation at your peril.  We are not here to provide you legal advice, just to warn you that the truth is known and will be used to destroy your organization and discredit your friends.  You are of course attempting [[libel chill]] by using the word "[[defaming]]":  it is perfectly legitimate to assume that an organization that is breaking one law, as you appear to be, is breaking another.
:::Response:  We are not your lawyer.  We are not your advisor.  Ignore this allegation at your peril.  We are not here to provide you legal advice, just to warn you that the truth is known and will be used to destroy your organization and discredit your friends.  You are of course attempting [[libel chill]] by using the word "[[defaming]]":  it is perfectly legitimate to assume that an organization that is breaking one law, as you appear to be, is breaking another.
::This and other accusations, which have frequently been made by [[142.177.X.X|a notorious Wikipedia critic]], were discussed extensively in [http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikipedia-l/2004-May/015211.html this mailing list post] by Jimbo Wales, which he summarised thus: ''In short, if anyone has *any* questions or concerns about legal or financial matters, I ask you to please write to me privately and express those concerns openly and honestly, so that I can resolve anything of this sort to everyone's satisfaction.  If, after you've talked with me privately, you find that you have any remaining issues that you don't feel I've addressed, then by all means I encourage you to go public with your complaints. That's my biggest problem, really, with what this troll is doing. He's issuing a lot of lies (anonymously of course) and insinuations, attempting to make a public stink, rather than honestly and simply raising the issues with me in an appropriate manner.  I don't actually fear any actual legal action, because in order to file a legal action, he or she would have to reveal his or her true identity, which would then enable us to finally take legal action to permanently ban them from the website, as well as providing an opportunity for me to file a libel claim against him. Anyhow, really, I wanted to say all this because I want you you all to know my keen interest in openness, transparency, fairness, etc.  I want to do whatever I need to do to make sure that the Wikimedia Foundation is looked to as a shining example of how a nonprofit should be run, with tight attention paid to expenses, good stewardship of donor money, etc.''.


...an issue debated on the [[Wikipedia mailing list]] but overruled by legal expert Jim Wales as per usual
...an issue debated on the [[Wikipedia mailing list]] but overruled by legal expert Jim Wales as per usual
Anonymous user