Kyne Asks State Officials Impeachment If All Charity Funds Are Not Investigated: Spokesman for California Tracks Named State Books Are Open for Inspection, Daily Racing Form, 1953-08-19

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KyneAsksStateOfficials Impeachment IfAIICharityFundsAreNotlnvestigated Spokesmen for California Tracks Named State Books f Are Open for Inspection PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 18. William P. Kyne, general manager of the California Jockey Club, issued the following statement Friday from his Portland, Ore., headquarters: "I will request that impeachment proceedings be instituted immediately against the following: State of California Attorney General Edward G. Pat Brown, Asst. Attorney General William OConner of Los Angeles, Clarence Linn, assistant Attorney General of San Francisco., and Harold Robinson, chief investigator for the Attorney Generals office of the state of California, unless they proceed at once to investigate the charity funds allotted and held in trust by the following organizations: the Los Angeles Turf Club, the Hollywood Turf Club, the Del Mar Turf Club, Golden Gate Fields and Tanforan, Ltd." Kyne further stated, "I think that the citizens of California are entitled to an audit of the books of the above named racing associations and I am quite sure that they will reveal some startling information." Kyne further commenting on the investigation of the charity funds allotted and held in trust at the present time by the five California major race tracks, indicated he will demand, through the courts if necessary, that the California attorney generals office impound the funds and books of all the major California racing associations in the same fashion as they did those of the California Jockey Club, which operates the Bay Meadows race track. Representatives of Daily Racing Form phoned the executive offices of all the racing organizations in question and following are their comments: Del Mar Turf Clubs reply to William P. Kynes statement regarding an investigation of race track charity funds: "Our charity day funds, administered by Del Mar Charities, Inc., a non-profit organization, have been audited annually by division of finance auditors, as well as a private auditing firm. These books are available for inspection by the proper authorities at any time," said O. L. McKen-ney, general manager of the Del Mar Turf Club. Fred Ryan, vice-president and general manager of Tanforan, authorized the following statement: "I have read in the papers that the Attorney Generals office stated that the other tracks in California are not under investigation, but that in all probability the state will continue to audit the books of each association, which is a common practice of the Department of Finance each year." Charles E. Coughlin, general manager of Golden Gate Fields, stated: "Golden Gate Fields will welcome any examination of our : : : charity operations which the Attorney General or any other authorized agency of the state or federal governments may wish to make. "Our books, of course, are regularly inspected and audited by the California State Department of Finance and the Federal Bureau of Internal Revenue, both of which have regularly approved all contributions which this track has made to charity, as has the California Horse Racing Board. "It should be pointed out that all net proceeds for charity raised on charity days at Golden Gate Fields are turned over in their entirety to the Golden Gate Fields Foundation, a wholly separate organization, for distribution among recognized charities. The track itself does not select the charities, nor does it allocate the charity fund. The Foundation books likewise are regularly audited by the state and federal agencies and its disbursement approved. "There is no basis for further investigation, but since we have nothing to hide, we are more than willing to submit to any further examination deemed necessary." P. G. Winnett, president of the Santa Anita Foundation, stated that he would not dignify the action with comment. Officials of the Los Angeles Turf Club, however, did state that the club and the Foundation would welcome any investigation by the duly constituted authorities of the state or local governments. Thore Brekke, assistant general manager of Hollywood Park, issued the following statement: J "The income raised for charity by Hollywood Park racing is turned over to the Hollywood Turf Club Associated Charities, Inc., which is an organization composed of a group of leaders in charitable work, in order that the funds may be put to the best possible use by public-spirited men who have studied community welfare needs. "The allocation and distribution of charitable funds by this group has been reviewed and approved annually by the State Department of Finance and by the Federal Bureau of Internal Revenue. "Hollywood Turf Club conducts the charity days without one cent of profit. No overhead charges, such as salaries of executives, year-round personnel, depreciation, property insurance and taxes, are charged against the operation on charity days."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1953081901/drf1953081901_4_3
Local Identifier: drf1953081901_4_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800