Lawyers and Such

[faithlilly]

You make it sound as if the McCanns are 'public property' Icab.  They don't owe you any explanations, just as you don't have to answer to them.  They are free citizens - no different to any other citizen who has never been charged with any crime.

The only reason sceptics want more ''transparency'' as they laughingly call it  - (they really mean 'ammunition' imo) -  is so that they can pore over every tiny little item, looking to find fault - which of course they will, even if there's no fault to be found.     More information means more opportunity to make sticks to beat the McCanns with.   It's as simple as that IMO.

As long as the Inland Revenue is happy with the accounts then so am I.   It goes without saying that the taxman will have received letters informing him that the accounts are 'fraudulent' from some sceptics.   As a result of that 'warning'  from the public - the accounts will always be closely scrutinised - probably by a senior officer so that the IR are satisfied there can be no comeback on themselves.  What more can anyone ask.

As pointed out previously a great deal of the money in the fund is their own, which they were not obliged to put in  - but chose to.   The fact that sceptics overcome this inconvenient fact of life, by completely blanking it out and never acknowledging its existence -  is quite telling IMO.     

May I ask what 'important' questions you are referring to Icab which you think would turn sceptics into supporters if they had an answer?

The McCanns made the aims of the fund so wide that they could do almost anything with the money, up to and including paying Kate a huge salary for 'administration' of the fund to buying vehicles to use for fund business to paying themselves money for rental of rooms in their house from which to run the fund.

Due to the breadth of the fund's aims and their positions as directors, the McCanns still have ultimate control over how the money donated is spent, much the same as if they had simply put it in their own bank accounts.

[Benice]

The McCanns made the aims of the fund so wide that they could do almost anything with the money, up to and including paying Kate a huge salary for 'administration' of the fund to buying vehicles to use for fund business to paying themselves money for rental of rooms in their house from which to run the fund.

Due to the breadth of the fund's aims and their positions as directors, the McCanns still have ultimate control over how the money donated is spent, much the same as if they had simply put it in their own bank accounts.

With respect Faith - So what?  Speaking as someone who contributed -  I have no complaints at all about the fund.  They can spend my money on anything they see fit which helps them to continue to keep Madeleine's profile high in the public's mind - which is what they have spent the last 6 years doing - as well as helping to raise money for Missing People.   

The only people complaining from what I can see, are those who have never contributed and never will contribute - and all they are really interested in is using the fund as just another means of hounding the McCanns.   It's obvious to anyone following this case that as far as the Sceptics are concerned, every single thing the McCanns say is wrong and every single thing they do is wrong  - and so anyone who thinks the sceptics have a genuine unbiased interest in the accounts is kidding themselves IMO.

There have been no signs of any sudden elevation in living standards, no Jags on the drive, no new house, the children still at state school and no money being spent on nightclubbing and wild parties with Kate in designer clothes, dripping in jewels and Gerry flaunting a diamond earring.  In fact Gerry still goes to work full-time, and gets there by pushbike.

And once again let us not forget the huge amount of their own money that the McCanns have put into the fund - instead of into their own bank accounts - and which is always studiously ignored by all sceptics.  Why is that?



 

[faithlilly]

With respect Faith - So what?  Speaking as someone who contributed -  I have no complaints at all about the fund.  They can spend my money on anything they see fit which helps them to continue to keep Madeleine's profile high in the public's mind - which is what they have spent the last 6 years doing - as well as helping to raise money for Missing People.   

The only people complaining from what I can see, are those who have never contributed and never will contribute - and all they are really interested in is using the fund as just another means of hounding the McCanns.   It's obvious to anyone following this case that as far as the Sceptics are concerned, every single thing the McCanns say is wrong and every single thing they do is wrong  - and so anyone who thinks the sceptics have a genuine unbiased interest in the accounts is kidding themselves IMO.

There have been no signs of any sudden elevation in living standards, no Jags on the drive, no new house, the children still at state school and no money being spent on nightclubbing and wild parties with Kate in designer clothes, dripping in jewels and Gerry flaunting a diamond earring.  In fact Gerry still goes to work full-time, and gets there by pushbike.

And once again let us not forget the huge amount of their own money that the McCanns have put into the fund - instead of into their own bank accounts - and which is always studiously ignored by all sceptics.  Why is that?

So what is the money being spent on ? The total in the fund is decreasing year on year yet for around two years now the McCann have employed no investigation team, have launched no media or poster campaigns and the only visible 'awareness' initiative seems to consist of a rarely updated website, cost-free Facebook page and some ancient merchandise the supporter have to pay for.

[Benice]

So what is the money being spent on ? The total in the fund is decreasing year on year yet for around two years now the McCann have employed no investigation team, have launched no media or poster campaigns and the only visible 'awareness' initiative seems to consist of a rarely updated website, cost-free Facebook page and some ancient merchandise the supporter have to pay for.

I don't know because I don't know how much profit Kate's book made.   All I know is that the accounts are dealt with by a reputable firm of accountants, and are scrutinised by the Inland Revenue.   And nothing untoward has been found. 

I would expect the fund to decrease eventually as time goes on if Madeleine is not found - as that is human nature - people will lose interest.     Whether Kate and Gerry will continue their search as a single entity, or maybe 'merge' with Missing People for instance - I have no idea.    That will be for them to decide if and when that time comes.

[faithlilly]

I don't know because I don't know how much profit Kate's book made.   All I know is that the accounts are dealt with by a reputable firm of accountants, and are scrutinised by the Inland Revenue.   And nothing untoward has been found. 

I would expect the fund to decrease eventually as time goes on if Madeleine is not found - as that is human nature - people will lose interest.     Whether Kate and Gerry will continue their search as a single entity, or maybe 'merge' with Missing People for instance - I have no idea.    That will be for them to decide if and when that time comes.

Nothing untoward has been found because the aims of the fund are so wide that virtually anything it is spent on can be justified.

As to the fund decreasing I absolutely agree that the money coming into the fund with be less year on year but with little discernible outgoings why should the total ?

[Benice]

Nothing untoward has been found because the aims of the fund are so wide that virtually anything it is spent on can be justified.

As to the fund decreasing I absolutely agree that the money coming into the fund with be less year on year but with little discernible outgoings why should the total ?

Well if, as you say, it can all be justified within the legalities of the fund and to the satisfaction of professional Accountants and the Inland Revenue including the IR legal team  - I see no problem.    But I have no problem anyway Faith - if you have one then that's your prerogative - even though I don't know what it is.


Must go.

[AnneGuedes]

There have been no signs of any sudden elevation in living standards, no Jags on the drive, no new house, the children still at state school and no money being spent on nightclubbing and wild parties with Kate in designer clothes, dripping in jewels and Gerry flaunting a diamond earring.  In fact Gerry still goes to work full-time, and gets there by pushbike.

I'm impressed by your personal knowledge of the McCann way of life !
I'm less impressed by your mocking Mr Amaral who has no second hand Jag any more and whose diamond is a zircon given by his little daughter for luck !

[AnneGuedes]

They can spend my money on anything they see fit which helps them to continue to keep Madeleine's profile high in the public's mind - which is what they have spent the last 6 years doing

I thought the objective was actually to search and find Madeleine.
This case has proven that a high profile in the media was ludicrous. Unfortunately perhaps, in case Madeleine wasn't abducted.

[AnneGuedes]

As pointed out previously a great deal of the money in the fund is their own, which they were not obliged to put in  - but chose to.   The fact that sceptics overcome this inconvenient fact of life, by completely blanking it out and never acknowledging its existence -  is quite telling IMO.     

Of course they weren't forced to invest the money in the Fund, of course they're not forced to claim on what that money was spent, but if they had chosen to spend it directly, wouldn't have the public thought they were making money on a tragedy ?

[Mrs. B]

Do try to keep up, it's an abduction Scotland Yard are investigating. They have been very open about that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_RjWWCKEA

No amount of wishful anti McCann thinking will change it. Disappointing for [ censored word ]s, we know, but they just have to learn to live with it.

There is no proof this missing girl is dead, until there is, she has the right to be considered alive & findable. The fund is there to advertise that fact & to make sure her profile is kept current in the minds of the public.

[AnneGuedes]

Do try to keep up, it's an abduction Scotland Yard are investigating. They have been very open about that
No amount of wishful anti McCann thinking will change it. Disappointing for p......s, we know, but they just have to learn to live with it.

There is no proof this missing girl is dead, until there is, she has the right to be considered alive & findable. The fund is there to advertise that fact & to make sure her profile is kept current in the minds of the public.

Time passing, the public wonder why Madeleine' profile has still to be hammered in their minds : either she's dead or she's fine. Why bother ?
Now the public is evidently very curious to know what happened to Madeleine. If SY concludes she was abducted by a stranger, they'll have to prove it. Don't forget that the Portuguese MP, juridically responsible for this case, concluded it was not possible to obtain any piece of evidence that would allow for a medium man, under the light of the criteria of logics, of normality and of the general rules of experience, to formulate any lucid, sensate, serious and honest conclusion about the circumstances under which the child was removed from the apartment (whether dead or alive, whether killed in a neglectful homicide or an intended homicide, whether the victim of a targeted abduction or an opportunistic abduction)

[Chinagirl]

I'm impressed by your personal knowledge of the McCann way of life !
I'm less impressed by your mocking Mr Amaral who has no second hand Jag any more and whose diamond is a zircon given by his little daughter for luck !

You must be pretty close to Amaral to know those things about his personal life!

[Chinagirl]

I thought the objective was actually to search and find Madeleine.
This case has proven that a high profile in the media was ludicrous. Unfortunately perhaps, in case Madeleine wasn't abducted.

The fund IS being used to search for Madeleine.  There is no "in case Madeleine wasn't abducted" - the UK investigation is considering only this event.

Nor is it ":proven that a high profile in the media was ludicrous."  I would suggest the parents' efforts in this regard has been (and is) highly successful - far more so than has been achieved in any other missing child case to date.

[AnneGuedes]

Nor is it ":proven that a high profile in the media was ludicrous."  I would suggest the parents' efforts in this regard has been (and is) highly successful - far more so than has been achieved in any other missing child case to date.

It hasn't brought Madeleine back, Chinagirl, that's what I meant. Madeleine is either dead or fine. That's what common sense tells.

[Chinagirl]

It hasn't brought Madeleine back, Chinagirl, that's what I meant. Madeleine is either dead or fine. That's what common sense tells.

Talk about stating the obvious - EVERYBODY is either dead or not dead!

Madeleine is missing; it is not known whether she is alive or dead, but because it cannot be ascertained that she is dead, it is absolutely imperative, both morally and legally, that she be considered to be still alive, and therefore the search for her MUST continue, hence the ongoing publicity efforts of her parents.