Sullivan's Homage to a Boy Scout

 Wipe that brown stuff off your chin, Al 

Behold,  as an Earwitness Rumor materializes before your eyes:

word is she is desperate to rehabilitate her image in Hoboken.  The new storefront, flyer, puff piece in the paper. The wallets open. whatever it takes to rehabilitate her reputation and clean up the biggest stink around it now. 

Reported on GA: at a recent community event, Mason Civic League advertised "help" for funeral costs "so you could give your loved one a proper wake and burial."  The macabre offer was dispensed with a glow-stick.  Also there: a table of Mason Civic League promotional lit, and two large "Mason Civic League" banners festooning the walls.

The reputation rehab continued this week in two editions of the Hudson Reporter.

The Hoboken Reporter published a full-page, color ad for a synchronized skating photography exhibit, and in The Jersey City Reporter, Al Sullivan's "Taking the lead, Hudson County man is named president of the NYC Council of Boy Scouts."

The interesting thing about Sullivan's article is not that it was written- because the topic is newsworthy. What's interesting is what he left out of the article.

It only had to be one line: "Richard Mason has been a top individual donor to the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America for years prior to his promotion."

That's not opinion, it's fact.

Sullivan could have simply inserted the words "top contributor."  He needn't have mentioned that in 2014, Mason pole-vaulted into the $25,000-$49,000 donor range with Con Edison, Condé Nast, JP Morgan Chase, Madison Square Garden and Wendy's.

Source: 2014 Annual Report: The Greater New York Council of The Boy Scouts of America

The whopping 2014 cash gift was a step up from 2013, when Mason donated $15,000 - $24,999 toward the "Second Century of Leadership Campaign" plus another donation  in the $5,000- $ 9,999 range.  One can extrapolate that Mason gave $20,000 - $34,998 in 2013.

What else happened in 2013?

The Greater NY Council of the Boy Scouts of America selected Mason as Chair of its national Eagle Scout Association Committee.   

Source: 2013 Annual Report: The Greater New York Council of The Boy Scouts of America

In previous years, where donation amounts were not published, Mason is listed as a "Major Conributor" or "Top Supporter" (source: Reports & Publications, National Boy Scouts of America, Greater NY Council.)

For example, in 2010 Mason was listed with AT&T, MetLife, Goldman Sachs, the Nets and Zurich as a "Top Supporter"- here's the list:

Source: 2010 Annual Report: The Greater New York Council of The Boy Scouts of America

So, who's kidding who?

The omission of Mason's years of gigantic individual contributions to this 501(c)3 that relies on gigantic contributions to survive, is not a judgment, it's a fact.   

No one has to say that MONEY is the (only) reason Mason was 'rewarded' with the top position on The Greater NY Council of the Boy Scouts of America, or that he straight up purchased it.  

No one is saying that.  No one has to.

But, anyone who thinks the annual cash tsunami from Mason wasn't a serious factor in his promotion is a doofus.  

Al Sullivan is not a doofus.  Not that kind. 

It look like the Masons get all the press that money can buy, as their reputation-rehab caravan rolls on.