Opinion ID: 536999
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Fundraising

Text: 7 In 1983, LaRouche, who was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the fundraising performance of some of NCLC's offices, promoted William Wertz, who had headed the successful West Coast fundraising offices, to the NEC and placed him in charge of national fundraising. LaRouche's dissatisfaction also precipitated aggressive fundraising tactics. 8 One former LaRouche associate testified that LaRouche, at an NEC meeting, expressed his dissatisfaction with fundraising and his belief that members of the organization were not getting tough enough with the general population. Allegedly, LaRouche characterized adequate fundraising as essential to get him to the White House and without his presence in the White House, there was no hope for mankind. Another LaRouche associate testified that LaRouche exhorted to NCLC members that the human race was on the verge of destruction or self-destruction as a result of its imbecility, its sheeplike quality, and that it lacked itself the moral fitness to survive. Because he needed funds to save humanity, LaRouche was said to have told NCLC members that any means short of thievery or thuggery [was justified] to raise that money. 9 Pugnacity apparently became the theme of the LaRouche Organization's fundraising tactics. A former LaRouche fundraiser testified that when he started on a phone team, he was told as follows: 10 You have to have only one thing on your mind. That is getting the money. No matter what the person you are talking to says, get the money. If you are talking to a little old lady and she says she is going to lose her house, ignore it. Get the money. If you are talking to an unemployed worker who says he has got to feed ... a dozen children, forget it. Get the money. Most of these people are immoral anyway. This is the most moral thing they have ever done is to give you money. 11 Fundraisers began working very long hours and complained of being driven into the ground. 12 LaRouche and Wertz set high fundraising goals for the organization, for each office, and for each individual fundraiser. LaRouche was said to have blamed the fundraisers' inadequacy on sexual impotence. Wertz and regional fundraising supervisors reacted angrily to fundraising shortfalls and the individual fundraisers, when failing to meet established quotas, became hysterical, distraught, and depressed. 13 Fundraisers began to take loans, as opposed to donations, from contributors in ever increasing amounts. In 1984 and 1985, the amount that the LaRouche organization borrowed from contributors increased dramatically; more than $25 million was borrowed from contributors in those two years alone.