September 6, 2000 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Richard B. Cheney, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, says that he and his wife, Lynne Cheney, donated $209,832 to charity from 1990 through 1999 and took tax deductions for that amount, a figure that represents about 1 percent of the couple’s adjusted gross income of $20.9-million for that period.
However, Mr. Cheney says that during that time he and Mrs. Cheney were responsible for charities receiving another $232,320 in gifts. The reason: The Cheneys declined to accept $89,500 in honoraria that they would have received for making speeches and asked that the money be donated to non-profit groups. What’s more, Mr. Cheney and his wife requested that corporations on whose boards they served make a total of $142,820 in donations to match some of the Cheneys’ own contributions.
The ultimate sum of money donated directly or indirectly by the Cheney family — $442,152 — represents 2.1 percent of the couple’s income over the decade.
Mr. Cheney told reporters traveling with his campaign that he thought his level of charitable giving was proper, according to Reuters.
“You can disagree with that,” he said. “I thought it was appropriate.” He added: “I think that’s a choice that individuals have to make in terms of what they want to do with their resources.”
Mr. Cheney’s running mate, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, and his wife, Laura Bush, reported giving 3.1 percent — or $702,451 — of their taxable income of $22.3-million from 1991 through 1999 (The Chronicle, April 6).
From 1992 through 1999, Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential nominee, and his wife, Tipper Gore, took charitable deductions for $118,638, or 4.4 percent of their total income of $2.7-million (The Chronicle, June 15).
Joseph I. Lieberman, the Democratic nominee for vice president, is expected to soon release records detailing his charitable giving.
