The American Red Cross Claims Fundraising, Spending Info Is Trade Secret

The American Red Cross has rebuffed efforts from investigative reporting group  Pro Publica to reveal its fundraising and on-the-ground spending practices, claiming the information is a trade secret. The charity organization, represented by Gibson Dunn, said if the information was made public, “the American Red Cross would suffer competitive harm because its competitors would be able to mimic the American Red Cross’s business model for an increased competitive advantage.” About $300 million was reportedly raised in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and ProPublica says it wants to determine “whether donor dollars are well spent.”