And now I'd like to answer both Smoke and Randy:
Hans Wyss ranks right up there with George Soros and Peter Lewis in terms of funding the "nonprofit" parallel universe of progressive political infrastructure. As I said, and as duly reported in a little-known "local business" story in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2006 -- that in turn was about human experimentation conducted by Mr. Wyss's company that resulted in four operating table deaths (at least three with the company sales rep present in the operating room)-- Hans Wyss anonymously gave at least $10 million to the lawsuit-crazy Center for Biological Diversity, which has sued the Fish and Wildlife Service into knots, at our expense.
Just put "Center for Biological Diversity" plus lawsuit into the Google search window.
He is also a major giver to the Center for American Progress, so much money that he enjoys a board seat. Exactly how much, not possible to find out for sure due to nonprofit disclosure requirements, but it's in the millions.
Keep in mind that, as a Swiss national, he's prohibited (like Indonesian coal barons) from giving to political parties and candidates. But giving to "charities" like the Centers is okayyyyy, with no limits, no disclosure from personal assets, and no timely disclosure from his foundations. Those expenditures are only made public at least ten months and sometimes 22 months after the money flows -- and who cares what happened two years ago when there's a scandal today, right? Precisely, kids.
So, Wyss is a strong supporter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, which was founded by Trout Unlimited staffers.
In 2013, Wyss gave BHA 300,000, which in that year had grant revenues of 725,000 -- meaning one single check was 41 percent of BHA's funding.
In 2014, BHA got nothing from Wyss, but other groups did:
Defenders of Wildlife 250 grand -- not exactly pro hunting;
Environment America (used to be Ralph Nader's PIRGs) 12.5 grand, not much, but NADER?
Trout Unlimted 1 million (this is cute because Wyss once called fishing "playing with your food"
Nature Conservancy, 44 million (probably to buy land from timber REITs)
New Venture Fund 6.3 million
The link to the 2013 tax return is here --
http://990.erieri.com/EINS/251823874/251823874_2013_0aa0722e.PDFgo to page 40 and there is the grant to BHA, and right under that is 647,000 to Center for American Progress, John Podesta's think tank. Now, we all remember the stunned John telling everyone to go home from the Javits Center on election night, don't we?
Go ahead, look at that return for 2013 and see how much money this guy nobody's heard of spent on groups we HAVE heard of?
If that doesn't work, go HERE and bookmark the page, it will give you free access to a stunning number of "philanthropic" documents.
http://www.eri-nonprofit-salaries.c...e=Quick&Cobrandid=0&Syndicate=NoSo, why would a sportsman's group be funded by one of the most influential, behind the scenes progressive funders in America, someone who is not allowed to play "real" politics but is doing it through the back door?
