Black Lives Matter Kicked Off Amazon Charity Platform

Photo: John Minchillo (AP)

Amazons charity platform AmazonSmile has suspended Black Lives Matter Tuesday for failing to meet eligibility requirements because of their financial disputes with some states, per a Washington Examiner investigation. BLM reported by the end of summer 2020 that they had raised $60 million. However, states have threatened to take legal action against the organization because they didnt indicatewhere their donations went to by the end of summer 2020.

An Amazon representative told the Washington Examiner that in order for an organization to be eligible to participate with AmazonSmile, they must be in good standing in their state of incorporation and in the states and territories where they are authorized to do business.

From Washington Examiner:

BLM voluntarily shut down its online fundraising on Feb. 2 after California and Washington issued legal threats to the group for its failure to report what it did with the millions it received during the second half of 2020. BLM published a report in February 2021 claiming to have ended 2020 with $60 million in its coffers.

As of Wednesday afternoon, BLM remains out of compliance in those states, as well as in New Jersey, North Carolina, Connecticut, Colorado, Maryland, Maine, and Virginia.

BLM said when it shut down its fundraising that it had engaged compliance counsel to get back in good standing with the states.

In addition the Washington Examiner found the organization changed its accounting cycle, allowing them to delay their reports on donations from summer 2020 to May of this year.

BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors said the donations that went unaccounted for came from white corporation guilt, via the Washington Examiner. People have to know we didnt go out and solicit the money. This is money that came from white guilt, white corporation guilt, and they just poured money in, said Cullors.

According to the Washington Examiners investigation, other companies have also decided not to follow through on their BLM contributions including Intel and Cisco.

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Black Lives Matter Kicked Off Amazon Charity Platform