In a Jan. 25 letter, the congressman requested a broad swath of documents to proceed with the inquiry.
“This is going to give us an opportunity to take a real look at the finances of the Aviation Hall of Fame beyond just their public filing requirements,” he said in an interview Monday. “This will allow us to know where the money is going, what their resource needs are and really how much help that they do need to ensure they are viable for the future.”
National Aviation Hall of Fame Chairman William R. Harris Jr. could not be reached for comment Monday.
But NAHF Executive Director Amy Spowart said the nonprofit’s Internal Revenue Service forms were available for inspection.
“We’re an open book,” she said.
In a press release issued Monday, the organization said its leadership was ready to meet with “an oversight committee at any time” and Turner.
The nonprofit has garnered “outstanding ratings” with two groups that watch charities, the Better Business Bureau and GuideStar, which tracks nonprofit’s financial data, the statement said.
“Taken together with the outstanding ratings by the BBB and GuideStar, the board’s financial oversight, business plan, brand and development team in Washington, the NAHF is completely confident of the integrity of its Board members and staff,” the statement said. “In fact, the board and is senior officers, which include national aviation business leaders, former military general officers, former astronauts and local business leaders, are among the NAHF largest donors and take their responsibility to their fellow donors very seriously.”
The statement added the congressman had not yet shared his concerns, “or the information it is based on, nor the relevant congressional oversight committee making the inquiry …” Turner has said his office would conduct the inquiry.
GuideStar records indicate the Hall of Fame has lost money for several years. In 2015, the Hall reported a loss of $188457 on expenses of $655,032 and revenue of $466,576. The non-profit relies on donations and enshrinement revenues as primary income. Board trustees are volunteers.
The probe was launched a month after the Hall of Fame broke a decades-old tradition of staging an enshrinement ceremony in Dayton and moving it to Fort Worth, Texas for 2017. The event, which long drew aerospace legends to Dayton, was hosted every year in the region since 1962.
Federal and state lawmakers, community leaders and others banded together and urged Hall of Fame Board of Trustees to keep the black-tie ceremony — dubbed Oscar Night in Aviation — in Dayton. Financial and marketing aid was offered, officials said.
The Hall of Fame acknowledged concerns about the ceremony’s first-ever departure,
“We understand the Congressman is concerned about this break in tradition and have sought his support in the past to keep the dinner in Dayton,” the statement said. “We look forward to further conversations with the Congressman.”
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