Sorry to keep on about all things Madeleine, dears, I know it is boring some people to tears by now, but today I am wondering about 'Madeleine's Fund' and the 'Fighting Fund'. It seems to have been generally assumed that these are one and the same, and was widely promoted as such by the extended family of missing Madeleine McCann, yet the object of the fund does not appear to be the same to all those who have contributed to it, at least not according to a report in Totally Jewish.
"Jewish community members have also helped contribute to the legal case. TopShop tycoon Sir Philip Green has donated to a �?SPAN>fighting fund�?set up by the McCann’s lawyers yesterday to help pay their legal bills.
A spokesman for the Chief Rabbi’s Office said: “We share the concerns of the country over the fate and welfare of Madeleine McCann and pray for her safe return.�?BR>
Extract from 'Madeleine in our Prayers', Totally Jewish, Thursday 17th May, 2007
So, what, is this 'Fighting Fund' for 'the legal case' - does it exist apart from
'Madeleine's Fund' or is it a misunderstanding? What at that time (May 17th)
was the legal case?
I am wondering if this was an earlier attempt than that currently being proposed by the
McCanns to create an additional
fund for legal fees, and if this was abandoned when it became apparent that too many people were busily donating and collecting for the 'Fighting Fund' (see image) 'for the legal case' whilst labouring under the impression that the money was going to 'Madeleine's
Fund: Leaving no Stone Unturned' - the stated objectives of which were entirely different, namely to help in the search for the missing child and to cover the general living expenses of the family. Was this money, along with the donation made by Philip Green 'for the legal case' put into a different
fund, then, or has it all been assumed into 'Madeleine's Fund'? Interesting, it does beg the question if perhaps the use of two names for one
fund was ever intended to confuse, with different people being led to believe different things of the one
fund, with the possible object of enabling its use to be widened to include the cost of legal fees in a criminal case, if ever it became necessary. Why, otherwise, has
Totally Jewish been given, and presented, a different understanding of what the
fund - if it's the same
fund - was intended for?
'Fighting Fund' is a term more usually associated with causes - set up with the object of raising funds for someone or some organisation engaged in a protracted legal battle. When I first heard it used in connection with Madeleine it caused me to wonder why they were using that term and who they intended to sue. Perhaps Mark Warner, for 'allowing' them to lose their child? Failing that, it seemed a bit incongruous, as no-one was obstructing their 'search' for Madeleine, and no-one was being fought...all anyone knew for sure was that they had lost their child.
Gerry McCann:
Daily Mail, 9th September "It seems like a disaster that we've got this huge donated fund and now we're not allowed to use it for legal costs because we're under suspicion," said Gerry.
From that it could be assumed that they had been able to use it for certain types of legal fees up till then, and we know lawyers had been engaged since May; their fees would most likely have been paid from 'Madeleine's Fund', which would not be unreasonable, lawyers being necessary to certain types of financial endeavour, the
McCanns unversed in running campaigns. That engagement could hardly be classed as 'the legal case' though, could it? So what legal case
was being anticipated by Kate and Gerry McCann, and their lawyers, even before the 17th May? Were they going to attempt to sue Mark Warner (
ludicrous, as Team McCann would say) - or were they expecting to maybe have to stand trial in relation to Madeleine's disappearance? It's difficult to imagine that Philip Green would be giving financial support in anticipation of that - so what was the idea of this 'Fighting Fund'? To me it reads as if the original intention may have been for there to have been two funds, yet appearing as one - with money coming in earmarked either for 'The
Fighting Fund' for legal fees or for the 'Find Madeleine Fund' for general expenses, and with most people being unaware that they were different funds. Or do I totally misread?
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