Montana AG to investigate Greg Mortenson charity

HELENA, Montana -- The attorney general in the state of Montana has launched an inquiry into the charity run by "Three Cups of Tea" co-author Greg Mortenson.

Attorney General Steve Bullock's statement Tuesday to The Associated Press follows a "60 Minutes" report into inaccuracies in the book.

The report also raised questions whether enough of the money donated to Mortenson's Central Asia Institute was spent on building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Bullock says he has a responsibility to make sure charitable assets are used for their intended purposes. He says he will not jump to any conclusions and that he has been in contact with attorneys for the charity and they have pledged their full cooperation.

Mortenson and officials with the Central Asia Institute did not return calls for comment Tuesday.

Questions over Greg Mortenson's stories
Can Greg Mortenson charity survive scrutiny?

The publisher of Mortenson's best-selling book also announced it was reviewing "Three Cups of Tea" after the "60 Minutes" report.

Viking, the publisher of the memoir, said on Monday that it will review the book and its contents with Mortenson, the New York Times reported.

"Greg Mortenson's work as a humanitarian in Afghanistan and Pakistan has provided tens of thousands of children with an education," Carolyn Coleburn, a spokeswoman for the publisher, said in a statement. "'60 Minutes' is a serious news organization and in the wake of their report, Viking plans to carefully review the materials with the author."

At the heart of Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea" is the story of a failed attempt in 1993 to climb the world's second-highest peak, K2. On the way down, Mortenson says, he got lost and stumbled, alone and exhausted, into a remote mountain village in Pakistan named Korphe. According to the book's narrative, the villagers cared for him and he promised to return to build a school there.

In a remote village in Pakistan, "60 Minutes" found Mortenson's porters on that failed expedition. They say Mortenson didn't get lost and stumble into Korphe on his way down from K2 and that he visited the village nearly a year later.

However, Mortenson defended his version, telling "60 Minutes" on Sunday in a statement that he first visited Korphe in 1993, and went back each of the following three years. He went on to suggest that the discrepancy could be because the "Balti people have a completely different notion about time."

"The concept of past and future is rarely of concern," he said. "Often tenses are left out of discussion, although everyone knows what is implied."

Still, Mortenson, in an interview with The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, seemed to admit that he took some liberties with the Korphe account.

"The time about our final days on K2 and ongoing journey to Korphe village and Skardu is a compressed version of events that took place in the fall of 1993," he said.

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Click here to read Greg Mortenson's statement e-mailed on Friday, April 15. On Sunday afternoon, April 17, Mortenson e-mailed a longer statement to "60 Minutes." Click here to read it (.pdf file).

On Saturday evening, April 16, the Central Asia Institute's board of directors sent a statement to "60 Minutes," responding to questions we had asked them. Click here to read the statement (.pdf file).

[mswolfestock]

Sometimes greedy and selfish people will form a "charity" to benefit THEMSELVES. The one example that comes to my mind is Cindy McCain, John's wife. She formed a "children's charity" to help poor and indigent children receive medical treatment and prescription drugs . . . and then she was caught taking the drugs herself because she was addicted to pain pills. If this guy has been tapping his own till I sincerely hope that the IRS (and perhaps the criminal courts) will show him absolutely no mercy.

[vancouverboo]

'He went on to suggest that the discrepancy could be because the 'Balti people have a completely different notion about time.' "
This guy isn't going down without a good fight. lol.

[Shlomoweintraub]

Glad they are investigating this creep

[tony_FoA]

Word that Montana's Attorney General Steve Bullock will investigate this matter is very good news.

In my heart, I believe in Greg Mortenson and the important work he is doing.

Did he make some mistakes? Perhaps.

Were there some misjudgments? Maybe.

Is he as vile as his accusers make him out to be? I don't think so.

He is human, and he has undertaken a very big job which even his critics admit has been a huge success.

I feel confident that the Attorney general's investigation will help Greg Mortenson lift the shade of doubt and suspicion drawn by his adversaries. Then, he will be able to continue working to bring peace through education to our troubled world.

Good luck, Attorney General Steve Bullock.

God's speed, Greg Mortenson.

Tony Mussari, Sr.
The Face of America Project

[cktirumalai]

Some people suspend all scrutiny when they hear of a charity or non-profit, assuming it must be above board. Regretfully, things can be more complex, tangled, and ambiguous in the real world. A measure of due diligence is necessary before one makes a contribution. Better that than to be disillusioned afterward.
I do not at present have a view of Mr. Mortenson.
Candadai Tirumalai

[ariz_1944]

ABOUT TIME!! And why isn't the IRS and AG looking into this guy as well??

[Hosheen]

Like other scam artists, this crook and liar is starting to do the "aw shucks" shuffle. Little by little, he will ease away from the original position and insist his words were misunderstood and "taken out of context". It's the usual tactics of politicians and theists to deny, distract, and delay. Disgusting!

[tarrars]

Pakistani perspective:

http://tribune.com.pk/story/152507/three-cups-of-sincerity/

[curse914]

"The saviour rhetoric of humanitarianism constitutes a powerful force that often claims unquestionable moral certainty and superiority, and therein lies its danger."

This is the banner under which the theist may do his/her dirty deeds.

"Perhaps the lesson to draw is not about sharing tea; it's about sincerity. It's also about self-interrogation of American interventions abroad, humanitarian or otherwise."

There you go, in a nutshell, the Empire lacks any ability for introspection since its action are perceived as inherently "good;" introspection is treasonous.

[MonikerJ]

Obama donated large sum to CAI. Divided country coming into an election year. CAI attempting to bring complexity, history, and alternative thinking to the way U.S. understands Central Asia. I smell a couple rats in the vicinity of CBS and their sensationalist approach.

[jojovasa]

I agree somrthing is not right here.

[FreshxWater]

Hey AGs, when are you going to investigate Bush/Cheney for murdering 6000 American soldiers, 150,000 men, women, elderly and children. And blinding, amputating, and brain injuries to 50,000 American soldiers and 600,000 men women, elderly and children... in what they themselves said was a made up lie?
www.impeachbush.org

[eiddam]

A very good question no one wishes to touch, but would rather go after the little guy. I see a bit of Germany 0f 1933 in this accusation,- when it was a No-No to associate with a Jew,-- now it's Muslims, and this being the beginning of a witch hunt,