HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION. >> THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR
KSAT NEWS AT 9 STREAMING FROM
RIGHT HERE IN THE KSAT 12 NEWS
ROOM, I’M
MYRA ARTHUR. UNDER FIRE THAT
WAS THE SCENE AS THE PRESIDENT
AND CEO OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES
MET WITH SOME VERY UNHAPPY
EMPLOYEES. THE ISSUE HERE THE
CHARITY’S HISTORY OF FINANCIAL
PROBLEMS AND LOST FUNDING
ALL UNCOVERED BY THE KSAT 12
DEFENDERS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
MONTHS. NOW WE’RE DILLONCOLLIER
TAKES US INSIDE THAT
MEETING WITH AN AUDIO RECORDING
THAT REVEAL ANTONIO FERNANDEZ
DIDN’T ALWAYS TELL IT STRAIGHT.
>> FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES. IT WASN’T JUST ANOTHER STAFF
OCTOBER 3RD NEARLY A 100
EMPLOYEES FROM ACROSS THE
ORGANIZATION, GATHERING HERE
TO TALK WITH
THIS MAN, YOU ANTONIO
FERNANDEZ THE WELL PUBLICIZED
THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
SOCIAL SERVICES CHARITY.
THE MAIN TOPIC WE HAVE ONE
OR 2.
>> ALSO KNOWN AS YOURS TRULY
AND THOSE STORIES ARE RECENT
REPORTS IN COVERING A HISTORY
OF DISTURBING PROBLEMS WITH HOW
THE CHARITY
HAS HANDLED SOME OF THE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DONATED BY
THE PUBLIC AND GIVEN BY
THE GOVERNMENT AS REVEALED BY
AUDIT’S PROBLEMS LIKE
UNEXPLAINED CHARGES ON THE
CHARITY’S CREDIT CARDS
CHECKS WRITTEN FOR THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS WITHOUT THE PROPER
APPROVAL AND WITH NO
EXPLANATION, TROUBLE ACCOUNTING
FOR CASH.
AND WHEN WE TRIED TO ASK THE
CEO ABOUT IT THIS SUMMER.
HE RAN FROM US AND SPED AWAY IN
A STAFF MEMBERS VEHICLE.
WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO THE
MEETING THAT SOME DESCRIBED AS
VERY TENSE AS FERNANDEZ READ
EMPLOYEES WRITTEN QUESTIONS,
ONE THING WAS FOR SURE THEY
DIDN’T GO EASY ON HIM.
>> AND THEY JUST
KEPT COMING.
>> AND
>> AND >> FERNANDEZ IS ANSWER. HE SEEMED TO IMPLY
THAT THE WHOLE AGENCY WAS AT AS
THEY
>> THE CEO ALSO MADE SOME
INTERESTING CLAIMS TO HIS STAFF
LIKE WARNING OF TOUGH TIMES TO
COME. THE REASON.
HERNANDEZ TOLD THEM THAT UNITED
WAY IN INSTRUMENTAL PARTNER.
>> HAD CUT FUNDING TO EVERYONE
IN THE AREA. WELL, HE SAID
UNITED WAY.
>> ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO
DON’T
18 THEY HAVE CUT AND 41% BUT
UNITED WAY OFFICIALS TELL US
FUNDING IN THE CITY AND COUNTY
ONLY WENT DOWN 9% AND THAT’S
AN AVERAGE.
>> WITH SOME AGENCIES ACTUALLY
GETTING MORE FUNDING THAN
BEFORE WHILE OTHERS DIDN’T GET
ANY BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T APPLY
FOR IT. EITHER WAY THEY SAY
FERNANDEZ, A STATEMENT
IS FALSE.
>> NEXT REMEMBER THIS DEFENDERS
REPORT.
>> THERE’S ABSOLUTELY NO NEED
TO SAY YOU’RE SERVING A QUARTER
MILLION PEOPLE WHERE WE REVEAL
THAT FERNANDEZ INFLATES THE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHOSE CHARITY
SERVED BY HAVING EMPLOYEES
COUNT NOT JUST THE PERSON
WHO’S HELPED. BUT ALSO ANY
FAMILY MEMBERS WHETHER THE
CHARITY EVER
SEES THEM. THE FORMER VP OF THE
AGENCY TOLD US THAT WITH ONE
CATHOLIC CHARITIES PROGRAM
THEY’RE COUNTING THAT THE
SERVING ABOUT 3,000 PEOPLE
WHEN IN REALITY IT SERVING
ABOUT 50 CATS BUT WHEN AN
EMPLOYEE ASKED FERNANDEZ ABOUT
STOPPING THE DECEPTIVE
PRACTICE. THE SEO HAD A
SURPRISING ANSWER. IT WASN’T
HIS DECISION. BUT THE CHARITY’S
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS.
>> IT
>> ANY CLAIM THAT OTHER
AGENCIES ARE COUNTING THE SAME
WAY.
>> FOR INSTANCE
BUT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES
FROM THE GALVESTON HOUSTON
CHAPTER TELL THE DEFENDERS
THAT’S NOT TRUE. AND REPORTS
AND FIGURES BACK THEM UP.
AND SO
THE CLAIM IS FALSE ULTIMATELY
THERE WAS ONE QUESTION THAT
JUST WOULDN’T GO AWAY.
>> WHY NOT TALK WITH THE
DEFENDERS ONCE AGAIN. THE SEO
CLAIMED IT WASN’T HIS CALL.
>> IT WAS A DECISION
>> BUT ANTONIO FERNANDEZ DID
HAVE THIS REASSURANCE FOR HIS
EMPLOYEES EYE ON THAT.
>> NOW WE DID ASK CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOR AN ON CAMERA INTERVIEW ABOUT THIS STORY BUT
THEY SENT US A WRITTEN
STATEMENT THAT SAID IN PART
OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS THEY HAVE
SEEN REDUCED FUNDING ALONG WITH
SEVERAL OTHER NONPROFITS
BUT THEY ALSO BOUGHT NEW
SOFTWARE TO IMPROVE THEIR DATA