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| Robinson's activites on Free Republic are the subject of extensive controversy. In 1998 Free Republic was successfully sued by the ] and ] for copyright infringement of their news stories, which were posted to the site. | Robinson's activites on Free Republic are the subject of extensive controversy. In 1998 Free Republic was successfully sued by the ] and ] for copyright infringement of their news stories, which were posted to the site. | ||
| ===Immigration Rift=== | |||
| Robinson has taken informal positions in favor of ]'s amnesty program for ], causing a substantial rift in the membership of the site. The difference of opinion has allegedly resulted in Robinson's decision to ban several hundred posters and the resignation of many others. Critics on the right, such as ] have likened Robinson's activities to political ] and suggest that he screens new members of the site who take a differing position on immigration from his own. | Robinson has taken informal positions in favor of ]'s amnesty program for ], causing a substantial rift in the membership of the site. The difference of opinion has allegedly resulted in Robinson's decision to ban several hundred posters and the resignation of many others. Critics on the right, such as ] have likened Robinson's activities to political ] and suggest that he screens new members of the site who take a differing position on immigration from his own. Robinson is also said to engage in ] of articles that criticize illegal immigration. | ||
| ===Financial Impropriety=== | ===Financial Impropriety=== | ||
Revision as of 07:54, 14 April 2005
Jim Robinson (born 1945) is the founder and primary owner of Free Republic, a conservative internet forum based out of Fresno, California. He is a computer programer and served in the United States Navy as an electricion from 1965 to 1969. He formed Free Republic in 1996 and is currently semi-retired due to muscular dystrophy
Controversy
Robinson's activites on Free Republic are the subject of extensive controversy. In 1998 Free Republic was successfully sued by the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times for copyright infringement of their news stories, which were posted to the site.
Immigration Rift
Robinson has taken informal positions in favor of George W. Bush's amnesty program for illegal immigration, causing a substantial rift in the membership of the site. The difference of opinion has allegedly resulted in Robinson's decision to ban several hundred posters and the resignation of many others. Critics on the right, such as VDARE have likened Robinson's activities to political purges and suggest that he screens new members of the site who take a differing position on immigration from his own. Robinson is also said to engage in censorship of articles that criticize illegal immigration.
Financial Impropriety
Free Republic's finances and Robinson's involvement with them have long been the subject of internet criticisms. The website is allegedly run on quarterly fundraiser drives that reportedly collect as much as $100,000 from member contributions. Many critics on sites such as Liberty Post and Democratic Underground, as well as former Free Republic posters who have since fallen out with the site, have expressed suspicion with the site's fundraising and Robinson's activities. Frequent allegations of financial impropriety include the claim that Robinson uses member donations as a source of substantial personal income. One frequent allegation suggests that Robinson used money collected for Free Republics operations to purchase a large recreational vehicle for his personal use.
According to Salon.com, "Robinson has also been accused of raising funds online and not accounting for how he's used them." He was rumored at one time to be receiving a six-figure consulting fee from a now-defunct online streaming radio venture "while crying poverty" on Free Republic "and begging for donations." As Salon notes, "No one beyond Robinson really knows how much money has been taken in or spent. He refuses to release a financial statement, and declined any comment to Salon News on his finances."
External links
- Jim Robinson Profile
- Critical article about Robinson by an ex-freeper
- Free For All on Free Republic at Salon.com
- FreeRepublic Archive at VDARE
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