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Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – A civil rights commission’s report that criticizes the Justice Department’s handling of a voter intimidation case was delayed Friday when one of the commissioners walked out of a meeting in protest.

He called the commission’s planned vote on whether to approve the report a “kangaroo court” against the Obama administration.

The Justice Department is accused in the report of allowing the New Black Panther Party to intimidate white witnesses during a 2008 election in Philadelphia.

The Justice Department dropped its suit against the group, a fact some political analysts say could hurt the Obama administration’s public image and jeopardize Democrats’ chances during the Nov. 2 election next week.

The heavily conservative U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was scheduled to vote on whether to approve a draft copy of the report on the Philadelphia incident. A vote of approval would mean it could be used as evidence for any follow-up investigations or hearings by Congress.

However, Commissioner Michael Yaki, a Democratic appointee, walked out of the meeting, leaving the commission without a quorum.

A quorum of five commissioners is required under U.S. Commission on Civil Rights rules to approve reports or take any other official action.

“It’s not my responsibility to make a quorum for this kangaroo court,” Yaki told reporters after he walked out of the meeting. “They want to score political points against the Obama Justice Department.”

Yaki is a former senior adviser to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The report accuses the Justice Department of failing to protect white voters from intimidation and being “at war with its core mission of guaranteeing equal protection (under) the laws for all Americans.”

The report was written by the majority members of the commission.

They denied political motivations for accusations in the report. They also accused the Justice Department of refusing to turn over evidence and telling witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation.

The civil rights commission is scheduled to meet again next week and try again for a quorum vote on the 131-page report.

The year-long investigation leading to the report resulted from an incident in which two New Black Panther Party members wearing paramilitary uniforms were videotaped in Philadelphia in 2008.

One of the men carried a nightstick as they stood outside the polling place on Election Day.

No voters filed complaints but conservatives were outraged when the videotape ran on a local television station’s news broadcast the next day.

The Bush administration’s Justice Department sued the two men in uniforms, the New Black Panther Party and its chairman.

The lawsuit still was pending when President Obama took office.

Shortly afterward, the Justice Department dismissed the claims against three of the defendants and obtained a narrowly-defined injunction against a fourth.

The civil rights commission’s draft report said the Justice Department engaged in “repeated attempts to obscure” the role of political appointees in the lawsuit dismissal.

It also said the lawsuit dismissal raises “questions about what the [Justice] Department is trying to hide.”

The report was compiled from media reports and testimony from two Justice Department attorneys.

A Justice Department spokeswoman denied the agency makes decisions on who to prosecute based on race. She also said the Justice Department turned over about 4,000 pages of documents to assist the civil rights commission in its investigation.

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“It starts with the fact that everybody eats,” says Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Chicago food consulting firm Technomic, Inc. “So it’s a strong market even when the economy is up and down.” Many restaurant franchisees have equally sturdy emotional attachments to nostalgic growing-up memories of food and family, he adds.

Franchisees also often are consumers turned entrepreneurs, motivated from their experiences as restaurant patrons. “They are not happy with what they eat when they go out to eat,” Tristano explains. “A number of these franchisees feel they can do better.”

Finally, many potential franchisees are steered toward food-related business ownership because they are familiar with it through their past experiences as employees of similar operations. “After the US government, the food service industry employs the second-largest number of people,” Tristano notes. “As a result many people have touched upon restaurant operations as a server, chef or manager. They can see that a restaurant operation is not rocket science.”

Past industry experience is, in fact, a requirement for some restaurant franchise opportunities due to the sophistication of their operations. Bojangles’ Restaurants, for instance, serves breakfast all day long as part of a menu featuring such demanding culinary offerings as fresh, never-frozen chicken and biscuits made from scratch every 20 minutes.

“We’re a complex, made-from-scratch concept with a high quality food with breakfast served all day,” says Eric Newman executive vice president of the Charlotte, N.C.-based chain of quick service eateries. “It’s really important that the person running that show is able and capable, and well-trained in food.”

Quality and freshness cultivate exceptionally high customer loyalty, Newman says. That’s helped Bojangles’ grow to almost 500 locations, mostly in the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. “I’d expect over the next 12 months to grow at the rate of about 40 restaurants,” Newman says. In addition to core markets, Bojangles’ is targeting Alabama; Jacksonville and Orlando, Fla.; and Washington, D.C.

The core appeal of a Tasti D-Lite franchise is as simple as others are complex. Basically, it’s a healthier treat. “Tasti D-Lite is a celebration of life, health and happiness,” says Jim Amos, CEO and chairman of the Franklin, Tennessee, franchiser of frozen treat purveyors. “Because Tasti D-Lite is lower in calories, carbohydrates, sugar and cholesterol than both ice cream and leading brands of frozen yogurt, it is the smart choice for a great tasting indulgence.”

The appeal that works on consumers also helps the company add new locations even during troubled times. “While 2009 was a year of maximum uncertainty Tasti D-Lite was still able to generate interest that resulted in our putting 300 new units in the queue,” Amos says. “And 2010 appears to be generating even greater traction in that we are experiencing continued growth in single units, multiple store unit developers and area developers.” One hopeful development Amos reports is greater interest among financial institutions in assisting qualified candidates.

Finance is a central element drawing franchisees to Hurricane Grill & Wings. “The advantage to franchisees is Hurricane Grill & Wings’ relatively low initial investment and an opportunity for great return on investment,” says Dan Collins, vice president of franchise development for the West Palm Beach, Florida-based island themed casual restaurant concept. A key to keeping costs down, Collins says, is emphasizing the use of second-generation restaurant locations.

To consumers, the restaurants emphasize their 30-plus sauces and rubs, along with a varied menu and robust list of craft beers, wines and, in some locations, full liquor services. Hurricane Grill & Wings currently has 34 locations in Florida, New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Arizona. “By the end of 2010 we plan to have 45 restaurants open, with commitments for 25 new stores in 2011, and additional franchise development agreements currently being finalized,” Collins says.

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants spurs commitments from potential hamburger restaurant franchisees by emphasizing its combination of a robust brand name and wide-open opportunities for development,says Lynette McKee, vice president of development for the Tampa-based franchiser. “We have what we call in our industry white space,” McKee says. “If you want to be in QSR [quick service restaurants] hamburger, there are few brands that have been around like we have, have the name recognition we do and have the opportunity for growth.”

Checkers currently has a few more than 800 locations, mostly east of the Mississippi River. “However, we are also in California, Nevada and Arizona,” McKee notes. Plans for the immediate future include expanding in the markets where they have presence. Over the next 12 months, McKee expects to open 40 to 50 new locations. “After that,” she says, “We’ll be a little more aggressive.”

Aggressively emphasizing the nutritional component of its frozen treats is always on the business menu at Red Mango. “The biggest attraction from franchisees who are interested in the Red Mango concept has been our commitment to health and healthy eating,” Daniel Kim, founder of the Dallas-based franchiser.

Red Mango’s products are all-natural, use fresh rather than frozen fruit and include functional ingredients such as probiotics. “It’s not just frozen yogurt,” Kim says. “It’s 100-percent natural, nonfat frozen yogurt with probiotics.”

Simplicity is a second important feature Red Mango offers franchisees. “We’ve been able to keep the business simple and streamlined, which makes it easy for operators to set up and expand,” he says. In three years of franchising, Red Mango has grown to 75 stores, mostly in Dallas, Chicago and on the East and West Coasts. While Kim expects to focus near-term growth in these areas, he’s ready to consider any domestic market for expansion.

When it comes to healthy and high-quality hamburgers, Elevation Burger considers only the most exceptional ingredients. “We use organic grass-fed beef and we cook our fresh fries in heart-healthy olive oil,” says Hans Hess, founder and CEO of the Arlington, Va.-based franchiser of upscale burger restaurants. These qualities appeal to both franchisees and guests, Hess says. “They’re also barriers to entry,” he adds. “Getting the supply chain for organic grass-fed beef is not simple.”

After two years of franchising, Elevation Burger has eight open locations in and around Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Austin, Texas; New Jersey and Florida. Target areas for growth include these markets plus Colorado and California. “By the end of this year, we’ll have 13 and in 2011 we’ll open up between 15 and 20 stores,” he says.

Among specialty restaurants, Zoup! Stands out for its menu centered on a dozen soups, each chosen and made daily from a cache of hundreds of recipes. Eric Ersher, founder and managing partner of Zoup! Fresh Soup Company in Southfield, Mich., says that difference is one of the chain’s strongest attractions for potential franchisees.

“While the unit economics are strong, we believe that numbers follow, they don’t lead. What attracts folks to Zoup! is that it’s different,” he says. Another draw: The operating formula is comparatively simple. “It is less food-intensive than many other food service concepts, which allows us to focus on front-ofhouse as opposed to food prep and kitchen,” Ersher says.

Twenty-five Zoup! locations currently serve patrons, and Ersher expects to have 50 open by the end of 2011. “We’re targeting the upper half of the United States,” he says. “The most density is in the mid west and east, and we’re moving west.”

Charley’s Grilled Subs currently has opportunities for franchisees with minimal barriers to entry, says James Pa, vice president of brand for the franchiser of sandwich shops specializing in freshly grilled Philly Steak sandwiches. A primary driver of the low cost of entry is the availability of location conversion opportunities as a result of the tougher economy.

The 23-year-old Columbus, Ohio, company has 410 locations in 16 countries, mostly in captive and non-traditional sites such as shopping mall food courts and military installations. “This year we’ll open somewhere in the neighborhood of 42 units, mainly in the captive audience setting,” Pa says.

When it comes to the restaurant franchising industry as a whole, consultant Tristano expects the next year to feature many large chains placing greater emphasis on franchising compared to company-owned locations. “Larger restaurant chains that franchise are shifting toward a more heavily leveraged number of franchised restaurants,” he says.

Tristano also sees more franchiser interest in master franchising agreements. “These restaurants companies have realized that it’s far easier to manage one franchise with 10 restaurants than 10 franchisees with one restaurant,” he says. Master agreements also appeal to franchisees who want to lock up expansion rights in territories they have invested in to develop.

While franchisees and franchisers explore new ways to relate, restaurants are exploring new ways to serve customers. Off-site sales is one area where Tristano sees continuing growth. “Restaurants don’t have to be just dining rooms any more,” he says. “They can be grab-and-go. We see a higher percent of sales off-site through delivery and take out than we have in the past and the number is increasing.”

Although some restaurants have suffered during the economic downturn and some have closed their doors, Tristano doesn’t expect the total number of locations to decline. A soft real estate market may be hard on real estate owners, but it’s good for restaurant franchisers looking for low-cost opportunities to get in business. Concepts may come and go, Tristano says, but restaurant locations tend to remain restaurant locations. “Generally when I see a restaurant close,” he says, “another one opens in six months.” After all, everybody has to eat. Business – Franchising – Mississippi River – Red Mango – Chain store

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I recently wrote an article about the the best ways to raise private money for real estate Investors where I laid out the top 4 ways to raise private money to grow and develop your real estate investing business. One of the top 4 ways we use and teach to our students is to use group presentations.

A private lending group presentation involves getting 5 to 20 people into a room and doing a presentation where you lay out the details and benefits of your private lending program. This may not be for everyone depending on your comfort level of talking in front of groups, but the advantages of group meetings are very powerful. When people start to ask questions and tell positive stories, a certain level of group think starts to take effect and can be very powerful on the attendees.

We teach our students to focus on the preplanning and marketing, presentation materials and post-meeting follow up as the key to conducting a successful meeting and getting people to invest in your business.

Preplanning and Marketing – We put preplanning and marketing together because they must be done together. Make sure you have a room reserved that can fit 20 or more people comfortably. It can be a hotel conference room but they tend to be expensive. Other options might include a local library, church or civic groups that allow people to use their meeting rooms. Once you have the meeting room arrangements finalized you can then create your marketing piece with the exact address and time of the meeting.

Now you need to get people to come your meeting. And not just anyone – you need potential investors with extra cash to invest. A couple ways to promote your meeting might include posting flyers in 55%2B communities with retires who might have extra cash to invest. You can also rent a list of local people with high incomes and bank CDs and mail them a letter or post card inviting them to the meeting. You can also place small ads in your local newspaper promoting an “information only” meeting about private lending and real estate investing. Better yet do all of these to help fill the room.

Presentation Materials – In order for the meeting to be successful you need to have a well prepared PowerPoint or presentation handout. It needs to be well organized and show your professionalism. This is no time to “wing it”. Your presentation needs to come off well done and organized where you lay your business plan and why it makes sense for them to consider investing with you. Again this should be “information only” and do not make specific offers to invest or discuss actual projects to invest in at this meeting. Actual offers are done in the follow up to the meeting.

Post Meeting Follow Up – As part of the meeting be sure to gather every ones contact information so you can contact them after the meeting. I recommend a letter 2 or 3 days later thanking them and asking them to contact you if they have further questions. Keep in mind that most will not invest, but if 1 or 2 do become investors from each meeting it is a highly successful meeting.

I invite you to learn more about Private Lending and get my new FREE 20-page ebook titled “Discover the Secrets of How to Fund Your Real Estate Deals with Private Lenders!” by clicking here http://realestatewealthtoday.com/FREE-eBook.html

Mike Lautensack is a full-time real estate entrepreneur in Philadelphia, PA and creator of the Private Lending Presentation Kit. This powerful done-for-you kit is loaded with tools and techniques to attract and develop a consistent stream of private investors into your real estate business. To learn more about this kit and receive your FREE Real Estate Wealth Newsletter go to Private Lending Presentation Kit.

photo credit: liber

With the uncertain economic climate, a conventional lending institution can be a difficult road that is laden with endless red tape while leaving you at the mercy of the loan decision makers.

The answer to the dilemma is private lending and if you play your cards right, you can have unlimited access to funds for your real estate ventures for a long time to come, without ever filling out a loan application or enduring credit and employment verification.

Use a Private Lending Credibility Kit

Always use a private lending credibility kit to attract lenders. Although this seems like a given, you would be surprised at the number of real estate investors who skip this step. By simply using a kit, you are already going to be ahead of the game and when it comes to standing out among your competitors.

Organize Your Credibility Kit

A well organized kit stands out. Instead of just picking up the phone and hoping to strike a deal with a private lender, take that time to organize your kit. Not only will this demonstrate professionalism, it will provide the private lender with easy access to your information and accomplishments.

In addition, the private lender will have something in hand to refer back to repeatedly when making a decision, as opposed to a phone call where they can hang up and forget about you the next minute. A well organized credibility kit will also encourage the private lender to review it because they can easily find the information they need.

Make Your Credibility Kit Stand Out

Uniqueness and Ingenuity – Every section of your kit should speak to your uniqueness and ingenuity, offering benefits that no other competitor has yet to offer. The unique benefits should be mentioned in your cover letter, your bio, your marketing section, and your references.

Market, Market, and then Market Again

Market Yourself – Use the information in the private lending credibility kit to market yourself.

Distribute – Distribute your private lending credibility kit to potential private lenders and remember that massive action produces massive results.

Display – Display your private lending kit on your website and during presentations when you are pitching your real estate ventures.

Talk – Talk to everyone and anyone you can who would potentially be interested in your real estate venture. Talk about your credibility kit and everything you have to offer. Word-of-mouth will eventually get private lenders coming to you and requesting to review your information.

Network – Attend real estate conferences and exhibitions armed with your private lending credibility kit and get it in front of as many eyes as you can. If it is well organized with strong marketing materials, private lenders will be knocking at your door and soon you will have all of the funding that you need to become successful in real estate.

I invite you to learn more about Private Lending Credibility Kits and get FREE instant access to a 60 minute audio and 20-page eBook titled “Discover the Secrets of How to Fund Your Real Estate Deals with Private Lenders!” by going to http://www.realestatewealthtoday.com/PLS-Vol1-Sales.html

Mike Lautensack is a full-time real estate entrepreneur in Philadelphia, PA and creator of the Private Lending Presentation Kit. This powerful done-for-you kit is loaded with tools and techniques to attract and develop a consistent stream of private investors into your real estate business. To learn more about this kit and receive your FREE Real Estate Wealth Newsletter go to Private Lending Kit

Everybody across the country has seen the huge drop in real estate prices and anyone that has some money saved knows now is the time to purchase real estate when prices are low. So when searching for a private loan lender have some facts about the current real estate market in your area right at your fingertips so when you are face to face with a private loan lender you can help them see the golden opportunity in front of them.

The news never paints a truly clear picture of the real estate market. Only the people that day after day study the numbers of sales and new listings, pendings and off market properties will really understand what the current market in your area is. If you are not a real estate agent then becoming affiliated with one will greatly help your real estate investment business. These people can jump start your business ahead leaps and bounds and are one of the most important contacts to have in your Rolodex. Not only can they help you find a private money lender, they can help you find the property you will want to invest in.

Real estate agents also have the added power of being able to look up the current mortgage on a property most counties do not have this information available to the public. So when you set out looking for a private money lender finding sellers that owe nothing on their property is an excellent way to start. Lots of times they will be interested in helping you to purchase their property even if they have to carry some paper.

Although I have found most people who own their home outright want to carry the paperwork because of the low amount of risk (this is only if they are in first lien position and have a very good contract that protects them in case of foreclosure). Finding home owners that owe nothing on their home by yourself without the aid of an agent will be time consuming and your chances of success goes down greatly. Agents are an incredible valuable resource and using their contacts and information will make your business a lot more successful. They will also make finding and securing a private loan lender a lot easier.

I invite you to learn more about Private Lending and get FREE instant access to a 60 minute audio and 20-page eBook titled “Discover the Secrets of How to Fund Your Real Estate Deals with Private Lenders!” by going to http://realestatewealthtoday.com/FREE-eBook.html.

Mike Lautensack is a full-time real estate entrepreneur in Philadelphia, PA and creator of the Private Lending Presentation Kit. This powerful done-for-you kit is loaded with tools and techniques to attract and develop a consistent stream of private investors into your real estate business. To learn more about this kit and receive your FREE Real Estate Wealth Newsletter go to Private Loan Lender Kit.

photo credit: evans.photo

One of the question I received a lot from coaching students is how can I advertise for private lenders in my real estate investing business. And more specifically, can I use radio or newspaper advertising to get people to come to a free seminar or to call me directly. However, there are real problems with this type of advertising.

A student recent told me he was about to post some newspaper adds and radio promos for a seminar to raise private money for my real estate investing business. He checked with my local SEC office and was told he could not do these types of promotion for private lenders. The SEC said that private mortgages are classified as “securities” and although they are exempt from a formal SEC filing they can not be presented as a “public offering”. They also told him they watch the newspapers and airwaves for such offerings and that he would definitely have heard from them if he had proceeded as planned. He then went to two local securities attorneys that confirmed this. One attorney suggested that he promote his seminars as strictly educational and maybe sell a product or book. But that he should not solicit directly at the seminar. After the seminar, he can develop a relationship with interested parties and work those leads as future potential lenders.

We teach students that marketing for private lenders is as much about what you “do” as well as what “NOT to do”. I strongly suggest that all marketing for private lenders be done on a low key person to person basis. We like doing local seminars for elderly groups or business associations where you provide some great information about the advantages of investing in real estate mortgages. At these meetings or seminars, you do NOT make an actual offer to invest but do encourage attendants to call if they would like to find out more or possible arrange a one-on-one meeting. It is at this second or possible the third or fourth, meeting you can see if the person would actually like to become private lender into your real estate investing business.

We do NOT recommend any type of big or public advertising such as internet sites, public classified sites like Craig List, newspapers or radio ads. All of these have numerous problems including the potential attention of your local or federal SEC departments. I can tell you from personal experience, you do not want these type calls.

I invite you to learn more about Private Lending and get my new FREE 20-page ebook titled “Discover the Secrets of How to Fund Your Real Estate Deals with Private Lenders!” by clicking here http://realestatewealthtoday.com/FREE-eBook.html

Mike Lautensack is a full-time real estate entrepreneur in Philadelphia, PA and creator of the Private Lending Presentation Kit. This powerful done-for-you kit is loaded with tools and techniques to attract and develop a consistent stream of private investors into your real estate business. To learn more about this kit and receive your FREE Real Estate Wealth Newsletter go to Private Lending Presentation Kit.

photo credit: *sean

The needs of the borrower and the criteria of the private lender determine the nature of the lending and borrowing process of the private money loan. These two elements must mesh together into the scheme of things in addition to the routine necessary paperwork requirements.

The borrower of a private money loan should take a self-inventory to determine whether or not he/she meets the requirements for consideration by a private lender. In a typical private money loan transaction, there are considerations on the part of the borrower as well as the lender. It is a good idea to know the basic checklist before you get involved with a private money loan transaction. The borrowers checklist should include the following:

* The type of real estate property for which you are seeking a private money loan.
* Get an appraisal to determine the property value and loan-to-ratio percentage.
* Assess your current financial situation, credit history, and debt ratio.
* Determine whether or not you meet the general criteria of the private lender you have chosen.
* Hire a property surveyor.
* Get an environmental assessment if necessary.
* Obtain title and hazard insurance.
* For income producing property, access the cash flow statements.
* For income producing property, obtain the rental agreements
* Devise a plan to satisfy the short-term private money loan.
* Appoint an attorney who is qualified to handle your real estate transaction and oversee the correct filing of necessary paperwork.
* Make sure you have the private lender’s contact information for sending payments.

The lenders checklist includes the following:

* How the borrower intends to exit the short-term private money loan.
* All of the necessary documentation on the loan is signed and notarized.
* Make sure the original mortgage is in your hands.
* Make sure the property taxes are up-to-date.
* Make sure a there is a title insurance policy issued to you.
* The closing statement is received before the funds are issued.
* Make sure your money is disbursed into an escrow account.

The lending and borrowing process for a private money loan will vary according to the type of property to which you are seeking financing. The checklist for a commercial property will be different from the checklist for a residential property. In general, for all types of real estate, you will need the basic necessary paperwork of the Promissory Note, Mortgage, Certificate of Insurance, and Disclosure Statement. However, using creative financing may require additional forms of paperwork for different types of transactions.

I invite you to learn more about Private Money Lending and get my new FREE 20-page ebook titled “Discover the Secrets of How to Fund Your Real Estate Deals with Private Lenders!” by clicking here http://realestatewealthtoday.com/FREE-eBook.html

Mike Lautensack is a full-time real estate entrepreneur in Philadelphia, PA and creator of the Private Lending Presentation Kit. This powerful done-for-you kit is loaded with tools and techniques to attract and develop a consistent stream of private investors into your real estate business. To learn more about this kit and receive your FREE Real Estate Wealth Newsletter go to Private Lending Presentation Kit.