Bunning also apparently isn't concerned about decreasing the deficit by increased collection income taxes by elimination of fraud. At least those income taxes he would personally pay if his personal income weren't sheltered by use of the Jim Bunning Foundation.
Bunning, a former major league baseball pitcher, formed his "non-profit" foundation in 1996, the year he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Working about one hour per week, Bunning autographs baseballs. Bunning donates the autographed baseballs to his foundation, which in turn sells them to baseball-oriented organizations. The baseballs are then sold by the organizations at events at which he speaks. His speakers fees are donated to the foundation. The foundation then pays Bunning a salary.
This circuitous procedure is necessary to avoid violation of Senate ethics rules.
Since 2001, Bunning has been paid $155,000 by his "charitable foundation". This is considerably more than it donated to charities, primarily the church he attends. The remainder is deposited in a mutual fund account that recently was worth about $146,000.
Why does Bunning fight to prevent lifelines being thrown to out-of-work citizens while also fighting to use loopholes to operate a tax scam? Because, as Republicans are wont to say: "Charity begins at home."
Bunning's wife Mary is president of the foundation. She, a family friend, and Rick Robinson, a lobbyist, comprise the board of directors. The lobbyist represents organizations that benefit from Bunning's earmarks.
Cornelius Vanderbilt's oldest son William was ranked as the richest man in the world at the time of his death. Nevertheless, father Cornelius thought of his son William as a blockhead and blatherskite and acknowledged that "William always was a fool."
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