MADD Canada has stopped fundraising across the country pending an internal review of allegations that most donor money stays with professional telemarketers and door-knockers.

But leading volunteers with the anti-drunk driving charity say that's not enough. They want chief executive officer Andrew Murie to bring in an outside firm to scour the $12 million-a-year charity's books.

"There should be an independent accounting firm reviewing these allegations," said Lynne Magee, treasurer of the Huron County chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She and dozens of volunteers confronted Murie on the subject during a heated conference call Monday night. "But we were met with an arrogant response, that MADD has its own accounting firm and lawyers to handle this."

Magee, whose 17-year-old son was killed by a drunk driver 12 years ago, said the public has always given generously to the charity and deserves to have its money spent wisely. She wrote a letter this week to Murie stating her concerns.

"Fundraising is a necessary evil — we know that. It is the way in which it is being carried out that is offensive to many chapter members, victims and the general public," Magee said in the letter, which was copied to the Toronto Star.

A Star investigation published Saturday delved into MADD's internal financial statements and revealed that only about 19 cents of every dollar goes to victim services and the fight against drunk driving. The charity, which has for many years been telling the public that most of its money is spent on charitable programs, has been counting as charity the work of professional telemarketers and other fundraisers.