Mosque Planners Short on Funds

Politico's two New York aficionados, Maggie Haberman and Ben Smith, say it's unlikely. The Cordoba Initiative's website states that there are no plans to cancel the so-called Ground Zero mosque (despite a Haaretz story this week reporting Muslim leaders are backing away from the plan), but Haberman and Smith report that the planners are a long way from their $100 million fundraising goal:

The Cordoba Initiative hasn't begun fundraising yet for its $100 million goal. The group's latest fundraising report with the State Attorney General's office, from 2008, shows exactly $18,255 - not enough even for a down payment on the half of the site the group has yet to purchase. 

The group also lacks even the most basic real estate essentials: no blueprint, architect, lobbyist or engineer -- and now operates amid crushing negative publicity. The developers didn't line up advance support for the project from other religious leaders in the city, who could have risen to their defense with the press. 

The group's spokesman, Oz Sultan, wouldn't rule out developing the site with foreign money in an interview with POLITICO - but said the project's goal is to rely on domestic funds. Currently, they have none of either.

Read the full story at Politico.