Story of homeless veterans displaced by migrants was false

[BeckyDem]

A claim that veterans were ousted from Hudson Valley lodging as a result of NYC's migrant surge was a tall tale


May 18, 2023
Updated: May 19, 2023 11:56 a.m.

NEWBURGH — Over the past week, a sensational story has torn through local and national media: A local nonprofit said homeless veterans under its care had been kicked out of upstate hotels to make room for migrants bused from New York City. But the story has fallen apart over the past 48 hours, culminating Thursday evening with state Assemblyman Brian Maher, R-Walden, who had been advocating for the veterans in national media and in the state Legislature, denouncing it as false in a call with the Times Union.

Maher said he was “devastated and disheartened” after a conversation with the CEO of the nonprofit earlier in the day revealed that the story wasn’t true. He is calling for the organization to be investigated by the state attorney general’s office and the Orange County district attorney.


Excerpt: According to Maher’s account, he was taken for a ride. Sharon Toney-Finch, the CEO of the nonprofit, is a respected person in the community with a track record of helping veterans, he said. At a Wingate hotel in Fishkill, Maher spoke with two people claiming to be veterans who were displaced from the Crossroads Hotel in Newburgh, which has received 110 migrants sent by New York City; he spoke to a purported driver who transported the displaced vets; and he assembled care packages and solicited donations after the nonprofit asked for his help.

Maher shared the names and phone numbers of the purported veterans and the driver with the Times Union. On Friday, one of the purported veterans told a reporter that he had been recruited to take part in a scheme designed to perpetuate Toney-Finch’s story.

https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/unhoused-veterans-displaced-migrants-fake-18107182.php

[Ray Bruns]

1. A republican lied? I'm shocked. SHOCKED.

Well, not that shocked.

[lpbk2713]

2. "When hysterical exaggeration doesn't work, just make shit up."

They never change.

[BeckyDem]

3. Yep. Consistent, ya gotta give 'em that.

[NBachers]

4. These people remind me of dogs rolling around i the remains of slimy dead rotten animals.

[Johnny2X2X]

5. CNN

Last week at Mother's Day, my dad, a life long Dem, said he was concerned about this and that he saw it on CNN. I said it sounds like a bogus story. He said, "Well, I saw it on CNN, they aren't going to make up something like that."

I don't think a lot of people realize CNN is the new FOX News.

And wait, so the Repug was "devastated and disheartened" to learn that the story wasn't true? Shouldn't he be relieved and heartened? Unless he is just disappointed he doesn't get to score some political points.

[BeckyDem]

9. Yea, Ted Turner would not recognize CNN today. n/t

[Aristus]

6. The pukes are just trying to draw attention away from the fact that

they hate veterans as much as they hate migrants.

[pwb]

7. Good one!

.

[BeckyDem]

8. +1

They hate people who are not their donors.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. Homeless men recruited for veteran hotel scam

Homeless men recruited for veteran hotel scam

May 19, 2023
9:47 am

POUGHKEEPSIE – Seven homeless men have come forward to say they were part of a group of men recruited at a Poughkeepsie homeless shelter to act as veterans that had been displaced from a Newburgh hotel in order for a non-profit organization to perpetrate a fraud on the public.

The men told Mid-Hudson News on Thursday night that they were part of a group of 15 men that were supposed to pretend they were veterans that had been kicked out of the Crossroads Hotel in the Town of Newburgh last Friday, in advance of the arrival of migrants brought up from New York City.

The saga of the displaced veterans received national attention when Assemblyman Brian Maher stepped in to denounce the hotel’s actions and grabbed headlines along with an appearance on a conservative tv network to raise money for the YIT Foundation, which claims had housed the homeless veterans at the hotel.

The foundation and its director, Sharon Toney-Finch, appear to have fabricated the entire story, causing Maher to admit yesterday that he had been duped by Finch and her lies.

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