Bruce Eberle

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Bruce W. Eberle (b. Dec 14, 1943 in Saint Joseph, Missouri) is founder of the Eberle Communications Group, Eberle & Associates, Inc (1974) and the MillionsofAmericans.com conservative web site. He is also a board member of a number of Christian non-profit organizations.

From 1991 to 1993, hearings in the State Senate Committee on POW-MIA affairs revealed that donations collected by Eberle & Associates for a MIA rescue operation run by Colonel Jack Bailey (USAF, Ret.), involving a boat, the Akuna, said to be located off the coast of Vietnam was in fact being used for other purposes. Associated Press reported that the boat had actually been docked for two years. Bailey's group kept more than 88% of the $2.2 million in contributions [1].

Bruce Eberle and employees of Eberle & Associates who wrote the fliers, told investigators they believed Bailey. Yet they could not provide the Committee with any facts to back up their statement in a 1985 solicitation that "men are in terrible shape. Their time is running out. [2]"

Senator John McCain said, "In my opinion they are criminals and some of the most craven, most cynical and most despicable human beings to ever run a scam," [...] "They have preyed on the anguish of families, and helped to turn an issue which should unite all Americans into an issue that often divides us. [3]"

Bruce's fundraising group, Bruce Eberle & Associates, was dropped by Senator John Ashcroft in 1999, according to Deirdre Shes-Green of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "after Associated Press inquired about accusations that Eberle used phony prisoner-of-war sightings to solicit money from veterans for another client. Eberle's solicitations," Shesgreen wrote, "came to light in 1992 during hearings held by the Senate Select Committee on POW-MIA Affairs. [4]"

Eberle raises money for a virtual who's who of the extreme right in America. His clients include Conservative Caucus, CapitolWatch. American Border Control, Pro-English and the US Justice Foundation.[5]

In 2003, MillionOfAmericans.com was sold to Bobby Eberle (no relation) and merged with the GOPUSA.com organization.

[edit] Ethics Charges

Interestingly, in addition to his conservative base, Eberle also raises considerable funds for virtually unknown animal welfare organization such as Tiger Haven, Tiger Creek, Tiger Tracks, and Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue Ranch. An animal advocacy group called ANIMAL PEOPLE investigated Bruce Eberle's fundraising services after numerous questions about the ethical standards used by Eberle's companies came to their attention. [6] Eberle eventually sued for libel, and a settlement was reached.

In the Settlement Agreement Mr. Clifton agreed to “cease and desist from any tortious interference with existing and/or prospective business relationships with existing, future and/or prospective clients of Bruce W. Eberle, Fund Raising Strategies, Inc. and Omega List Company.” Under the Agreement Mr. Clifton also agreed “…not to defame” Fund Raising Strategies, Inc., Omega List Company and Bruce W. Eberle verbally, in print, electronically or in any other medium. Finally, the Agreement provides for appropriate legal remedies for Mr. Eberle and his companies should said Agreement be breached by Mr. Clifton.