Where does the money go? Who gets it? How is it used?

Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County won’t answer these questions. The group has been soliciting and accepting donations through a Venmo account and other avenues. One local business donated a day’s worth of revenue. It is unknown how much Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County has raised or spent, and the people behind the group are not saying.

Is it even an organization or is it one or two people taking in and spending money? Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County is not any kind of legal entity with formal leadership, such as officers and a board of directors.  Having no enforceable structure skips a lot of bother with legalities and paperwork.  It is also one way to evade accountability.

Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County is not a registered charity with the Washington Secretary of State.  The national Black Lives Matter organization is also not a charity–a 501(c)(3) IRS organization that permits donors to claim a tax deduction on their federal returns. Yet it has raked in tens of millions of dollars and done so without any revealing how the donations are spent. (See our recent article, “Wondering About Black Lives Matter,” submitted by a concerned citizen of Port Townsend). This national–make that international organization–is legally known as Black Lives Matter, Inc. because it is an actual corporation with officers, directors and official local chapters. However, Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County is not one of those BLM, Inc. chapters.

In light of what our concerned citizen of Port Townsend found in her research into BLM, Inc., we wondered what BLM of Jefferson County would disclose about its finances.

We asked Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County if it will be accountable for the donations it is soliciting and spending. If it were a registered charity it would be required to report its finances in annual public filings. Further, because it  has not qualified as a not-for-profit corporation, donations are taxable income to someone.

Nobody disagrees with the statement that Black lives matter. This site believes the statement should be “all Black life matters.” Unfortunately, too many people in our community do not agree that Black life matters without exception (see the first installment in our series on Black genocide and systemic racism in Jefferson County government).

Taking as one’s name an indisputable declaration of human dignity does not relieve one from the legal and ethical duty to observe basic principles of transparency and accountability.

A group that demands accountability of others should itself be accountable.

Our email with questions about the group’s financial transparency and accountability has not been answered.

Funding for the mural on Port Townsend’s Water Street came from taxpayers as a disbursement through the Arts Commission approved by City Council. Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County did not buy the paint. They have no office, no post office box, no telephone number. They do have a Venmo account that takes in gifts of money.

The receipt and use of donations is reported publicly to some extent by every charity, political organization and not-for-profit corporation. But not Black Lives Matter of Jefferson County. They’re asking for and accepting money, but not saying how that money is being spent and who’s getting it.

Jim Scarantino

Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our “About” page for more information.