Deidra Towns is trumpeting her association with a dubious nonprofit that has no public record of its work as she runs for her brother Darryl’s vacant Assembly seat.
The Versie B. Towns Foundation, which Deidra co-founded in 1997, was purportedly set up to provide after-school programs in science, art and math to inner-city youth in Brooklyn.
But there are no tax filings for the group, so it’s unknown how much money it raised or how the money was spent. In June, the IRS revoked its charitable status.
The only recent contribution the charity appears to have received was $3,500 in May from Deidra’s father, Rep. Edolphus Towns, according to his campaign financial records.
“She had no fiduciary or financial role in the charity,” said a spokesman for Deidra Towns, a Democrat.
Deidra, 41, lists her work for the group prominently on her campaign Web site.
Additional reporting by Aaron Short
