For Immediate Release

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa is asking the Securities and Exchange Commission for information that would shed light on decisions affecting the agency inspector general's office.

"All federal agencies need a high-performing, independent inspector general's office to hold the agency accountable and protect employees from unwarranted criticism," Grassley said.  "The recent turmoil at the SEC inspector general's office raises questions about how well that office is functioning.  Information from all sides is necessary to try to establish where things went wrong and what the agency can do to refocus its watchdog capacity."

Grassley's review so far has found that the commission suspended the chief investigator in the inspector general's office over allegations that he caused security concerns among some fellow employees, but the investigator's counsel contends the investigator was retaliated against for reporting allegations about the recently departed inspector general to an outside group for review.  Allegations have also been made that the outside security firm that looked into the investigator was being investigated by the inspector general's office over contracting concerns.

In order to investigate those allegations, Grassley wrote to SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro, Acting Inspector General Noelle Maloney and Chuck Tobin, the president of At-Risk International LLC, the company that performed the security review.

The text of Grassley's letters are available here, here, and here.

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Nearly half of us have given up on the notion that we can get ahead by digging in and working hard, but the American Dream still has a champion in Hollywood TV and film director Guy Magar (La Femme Nikita, The A-Team, Battlestar Galactica).

As with so many stories out of Hollywood, Magar's reads like a made-for-TV movie. A young Egyptian refugee immigrates to the United States and latches onto two dreams: becoming a filmmaker and finding his one, true love. Despite being a kid from the New York suburbs with no connections to the film industry, he finds a way to manage the first. And, after years of searching, he finally gets the girl, too.

"We had a magical Camelot wedding only a movie director could conjure - complete with sword-dueling to rescue the bride who got kidnapped when she arrived by horse-drawn carriage. It was my Errol Flynn life moment!" recalls Magar. But, into his 25th year of marriage, he learns the love of his life has a fatal illness.

"Everyone needs to dream and anyone can make those dreams come true - if they pursue them with passionate drive," says Magar, who shares his story for the first time in his memoir Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot (www.kissmequickbeforeishoot.com).

He discounts the ABC News/Yahoo poll that found that, at the height of the recession, 43 percent of us had lost faith in the American Dream.

"People have suffered because of the economy, but there have always been economic ups and downs - and there have always been Americans making their dreams come true," he says. "My dreams were seemingly unattainable, but I made them happen because mine was a passionate pursuit -- I never stopped trying and that's what it takes."

"Today, I have my beautiful wife, Jacqui, here by my side, healthy and happy, because I dreamed of finding a cure for her and I didn't stop searching - against all odds -- until we found it."

How can anyone overcome seemingly insurmountable odds? Magar offers his recipe for success:

• Dare to dream. "It sounds simple, but so many people don't bother," Magar says. "Instead of envisioning the magical possibilities, they see only obstacles and challenges." If you have a career dream, find a way to experience it through school or internships to make sure it's a profession you love. Dreams require passion, and you may not have enough to fuel a hard journey if you haven't tested the waters first. At 25, Magar enrolled in film school to find out whether he actually liked the process of filmmaking and had a talent for it. That experience lit a fire.

• Don't settle. "I knew I wanted to marry nothing less than my true love, and that required a lot of patience!" he says. "I didn't meet Jacqui until I was 34." It's easy to jump the gun at 22, or panic at 32, but when you have a dream you're passionate about, you need to believe in yourself and hold fast, he says. How do you know love when you find it? "When you're absolutely sure that you'd be the biggest fool to pass this up," he says.

• Work at it like there's no tomorrow. Magar's first feature film, Retribution, required 12-hour days seven days a week for three months - just for the prep work of finding locations, working on the script, casting, sets and costumes. He knew how to get it done. When Jacqui was diagnosed with an especially aggressive form of leukemia in 2008, Magar was even more dogged.  "I dreamed of finding a way to heal Jacqui, and if that required researching every new treatment and calling every cancer center in the country, that's what I would do." He finally found a promising clinical trial at a Minnesota cancer center that was being replicated at City of Hope near Los Angeles. "Jacqui is now celebrating her third year of remission," he says - with a big smile.

Magar immigrated to New York City with his family in 1958 after a military coup radically changed Egypt. The family came with nothing, and Magar spoke no English. Eventually, their situation improved and Magar finished his growing-up years as a middle-class kid in an idyllic little New York town. It wasn't until after he'd graduated from Rutgers College - with a degree in philosophy - that he discovered his love for telling stories visually through film.

"If I - an Egyptian immigrant kid - can become a Hollywood movie director married to the love of my life, anyone can make their dreams come true," he says.

About Guy Magar

TV and film director/writer/producer Guy Magar has worked for more than 30 years in the motion picture industry. His TV credits include Dark Avenger, The Young Riders, and Blue Thunder. His feature films include Lookin' Italian, starring Matt LeBlanc and Lou Rawls; Stepfather 3, which launched HBO's World Premiere Series, and Retribution, to be re-released for its 25th anniversary on DVD this summer. Guy is also the founder of Action/Cut Seminars which has taught filmmaking to thousands of students with a film dream.

REPORT: 38% OF AMERICANS HAVE RECEIVED HELP FROM CHARITY

Report Highlights Importance of Giving Back During 59th Annual National Salvation Army Week

(Alexandria, VA) May 16, 2012 - The American public is largely sympathetic to people in need, but drastically misunderstands the causes of poverty, according to a new report, "Perceptions of Poverty: The Salvation Army's Report to America," released today by The Salvation Army. Among other eye-opening statistics, the report showed that while 38 percent of Americans have received assistance from a charitable group in their lifetime, another 27 percent of Americans believe that laziness is a root cause of poverty. Still, an overwhelming majority continues to donate to charities to help others in need.

The report was based on a survey of more than 1,000 Americans, conducted in February 2012 by a third-party research firm in advance of the 59th annual National Salvation Army Week, celebrated this year from May 14-20.

"This report highlights the critical issue of poverty at a time when many Americans are struggling to get by," said Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. "It is more important than ever to raise awareness of not only the public's perception of poverty, but also the programs available to those in need. With the public's support, The Salvation Army will continue to provide assistance."

According to the survey commissioned by The Salvation Army and conducted on Vision Critical's Springboard America panel, nearly 40 percent of Americans have requested help, including housing, food, financial and other assistance, from charitable organizations at some point in their lives. In particular, Americans with lower household incomes are much more likely to have experienced a lack of shelter, or a need to request assistance from a charitable group.

Thirty-eight percent of Americans have received assistance from a charitable group, including food from food banks or financial assistance/housing support.

Thirteen percent of Americans reported having spent a night in a shelter or on the street due to a loss of housing.

Additionally, a majority of Americans believe people living in poverty deserve a helping hand, and sympathize with the challenges that people living in poverty face on a daily basis.

• Eighty-eight percent of Americans believe people living in poverty deserve a helping hand.
• Eighty-four percent of Americans believe it is almost impossible to survive on your own on minimum wage.
• Seventy-five percent of Americans believe helping poor families sets up children from those families for success.
• Sixty percent of Americans believe it is difficult to escape poverty once becoming poor.
• However, there are a significant minority of Americans who are skeptical of the realities and reasons for poverty.
• Notably, the further a person is from poverty, the less common he or she believes poverty is in society.
• Forty-nine percent of Americans believe a good work ethic is all a person needs to escape poverty.
• Forty-three percent of Americans believe people living in poverty can always find a job if they really want to work, with twenty-seven percent of Americans reporting that people are poor because they are lazy.
• Twenty-nine percent of Americans believe poor people usually have lower moral values.

In total, Americans believe approximately thirty-four percent of the general population is living in poverty. However, Americans who earn less than $25,000 a year believe forty percent of the population lives in poverty, while Americans who earn at least $50,000 a year believe twenty-seven percent live in poverty.

The Perceptions of Poverty report, which can be viewed on The Salvation Army's website at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org, comes as The Salvation Army celebrates the 59th annual National Salvation Army Week with a variety of events and activities to honor donors, supporters and beneficiaries of Salvation Army programs. President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared the first National Salvation Army Week in 1954, proclaiming, "Among Americans, The Salvation Army has long been a symbol of wholehearted dedication to the cause of brotherhood. In time of war, the men and women of this organization have brought to those serving their country far from home, friendliness and warm concern. In the quieter days of peace, their work has been a constant reminder to us all that each of us is neighbor and kin to all Americans, giving freely of themselves, the men and women of The Salvation Army have won the respect of all."

"We are proud to celebrate our donors, volunteers and supporters, not only during National Salvation Army Week but every day throughout the year," said Major Hood. "As President Eisenhower recognized nearly sixty years ago, The Salvation Army is dedicated to serving our neighbors, families and friends in communities throughout America, and we want to take this time to give thanks to each person who makes this possible."

Since The Salvation Army began its social service work in the United States in 1880, the organization has grown into one of the largest social service providers in the country. Each year, The Salvation Army directly supports 30 million Americans through a variety of programs including transitional and family shelters, feeding programs, senior centers, adult rehabilitation, education, athletic programs for kids and more.

Though the dates have changed since the first National Salvation Army Week, the work of The Salvation Army has not. The Salvation Army is calling upon all Americans to consider donating money or volunteering time to charities and organizations fighting poverty in local communities. Donors and volunteers can learn more about The Salvation Army, including further information regarding the Perceptions of Poverty report and National Salvation Army Week, by visiting www.SalvationArmyUSA.org.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used Wednesday, May 16, 2012 to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

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Club fees would help restore cuts to rape crisis centers

SPRINGFIELD - May 16, 2012. With bipartisan support and agreement from victim advocates and the adult entertainment industry, strip clubs that permit alcohol would have two options to help restore funding to rape crisis centers under a bill passed 8-0 by the Senate Public Health Committee, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon said today.

Strip club owners would choose to pay the state a $3 per patron surcharge on an annual basis or opt to pay a flat fee based on the taxable receipts they report to the Illinois Department of Revenue each year, under House Bill 1645 Amendment 3. Clubs that report taxable receipts of $2 million or more would pay $25,000 a year; clubs that report total receipts of $500,000 to $2 million would pay $15,000; and clubs that report total receipts of less than $500,000 would pay $5,000, according to the legislation.

The $3 surcharge and fee structure in House Bill 1645 Amendment 3 replaced the $5 per patron entrance fee proposed in an earlier bill. The new language was agreed to by rape crisis advocates, club owners and sponsor Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights). House Bill 1645 Amendment 3 now moves to the Senate for a vote.

"I am pleased all the interested parties came to the table with Sen. Hutchinson and my office and agreed on a common sense way to restore funding to rape crisis centers that have struggled to provide critical services to sexual assault survivors, school children and law enforcement agencies on ever-shrinking budgets," Simon said.

"Substantial evidence links the consumption of alcohol at strip clubs to negative secondary effects, including sexual harassment, sexual assault and prostitution. This legislation will address the social ills and protect free expression. Clubs that do not want to pay the surcharge or fee can choose to stop permitting alcohol," Simon added.

The newly generated revenue will go into the new Sexual Assault Services and Prevention Fund and be distributed by the Department of Human Services for community-based assistance to victims of sexual assault and sexual assault prevention.  There are at least 32 rape crisis centers - 10 in the Chicago-metro region and 22 in the non-metro area. State funding for the centers has decreased about 28 percent in the past five years.

Last year, the Texas Supreme Court upheld legislation that funded crisis centers through a $5 entrance fee at strip clubs that permit alcohol based on the correlation between alcohol, live nude dancing and negative secondary effects, such as sexual assault. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge of that decision, effectively opening the door for other cities and states to purse similar measures. California is among the states seeking legislation; it is considering a $10-per-patron fee.

Simon, a longtime domestic violence and women's advocate, first voiced her support for Hutchinson's legislation in February and testified in support of the amended legislation today. She visited rape crisis centers across the state this spring to call for a budget-neutral way to restore state funding.