https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/17/abe-lincolns-library-faces-so-much-debt-its-considering-selling-his-stuff-including-his-hat-and-gloves/?noredirect=on&sw_bypass=true&utm_term=.25cdd360ed61
This year the fy19 budget allocates $11 million to operate the museum. The ALPLM Foundation, that operates nothing in the museum, siphons off bookstore profits and rental fees and sells unlimited admission with membership and doesn't share that with the taxpayer funded museum. The Foundation ex. director quoted in the story makes $240,000. Total compensation for the few Foundation employees that don't run anything in the museum is over $800,000. The Foundation, in a conflict of interest, indebted themselves by making a loan agreement with a bank that two members of their board were affiliated with. The Foundation took in $3.2 million in 2016 according to their 990 filing and the board, filled with hotshot names, can't manage to pay off debt overtime. On top of all of that, $6.5 million of their debt is related to "Lincoln's" top hat which is more likely than not a fake – and the board refuses to have it DNA tested to confirm authenticity, in part I am sure because it was purchased from another board member.
Honest Abe would be appalled by all of this. I, and others, are looking into everything.
