MANCHESTER, NH — Liberty House executive director Keith Howard just wants to do the right thing. That’s why he rejected an invitation from Donald Trump to receive a donation during a scheduled campaign event on Monday.
Howard didn’t want to jeopardize the integrity of his organization.
On Feb. 5 Howard got a call from a Trump campaign staffer who invited him to receive a “six figure” donation during a campaign rally in Londonderry, money designated to the Liberty House as one of 22 recipients identified by the Trump Foundation during a recent fundraising effort.
Howard was reticent.
He called Terry Knowles, Assistant Director of Charitable Trusts at the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office, to inquire about the legality of a “big check” moment at a political event. Knowles informed him that accepting the donation during a campaign event could jeopardize Liberty House’s non-profit status.
“That told me my gut was right, and that we weren’t going to take the money in the way it was being offered,” Howard said.
Howard said when he called back Trump’s campaign back, and told them he didn’t feel comfortable participating in a campaign event, they pushed back. They told him they’d already delivered checks to two Iowa veterans organizations in a similar fashion.
“They said it wasn’t a big deal. I told them that New Hampshire has its own laws, and I just didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do, to go to a political event,” Howard said. “I told the staffer that if it would affect receiving the donation, then so be it.”
After the initial news of the Trump Foundation donation, Howard said he got several unexpected emails from people who accused him of being a “whore.”
“Yes, people were calling me a prostitute and a whore, saying I shouldn’t take anything from Trump, and that it was tainted money,” Howard said. “I did respond to most of them. The more vituperative ones, I didn’t. I feel very comfortable with what we’re doing, with taking money to help homeless veterans. But I’ll be god-damned if I, in any way, support a political candidate or make a campaign appearance with any candidates. We stand for doing the right thing.”
Howard has yet to learn exactly how much the Trump Foundation is donating to Liberty House, a small substance-free housing community for American veterans transitioning out of homelessness. But “six figures” is by far the largest single donation the organization has received.
Being identified as one of the recipients of Trump’s high-profile fundraiser, mounted by Trump to coincide with a televised FOX News debate that he opted out of, was big news for Liberty House — especially because Howard had recently announced that he would no longer accept federal funding under the U.S. government’s “housing first” initiative, as it would compromise the Liberty House focus on sobriety.
“I know that we’re doing the right thing, and I honestly believe by doing the right thing we’ll also do well for ourselves,” Howard said. “Donations up 50 percent over last year, and I believe it’s related to our public position that we won’t take federal funds,” Howard said.
“It’s not that I’m some crusading hero. I firmly believe doing the right thing for our organization pays dividends — we’re seeing that with an increase in donations,” Howard said.
Howard said he has been contacted by State Rep. Al Baldasaro, R-Londonderry, who said he will be hand-delivering the check from the Trump Foundation on Feb. 10.
“I understand that Rep. Baldasaro will accept the check from Trump during the rally, and that he’s going to come by Wednesday, after the primary, to present the check to us,” Howard said. “And we’ll do what we normally do, which is take a few photos and thank him.”
UPDATE Feb. 8, 2016:
Click here to listen to Liberty House Executive Director Keith Howard discuss the ‘big check’ situation via a podcast on Change your POV.com.
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