There could be bad reasons why the pledges haven't been paid out yet (they never intended to give the money.) There could be good reasons why the pledges haven't been paid out (they want to know how much is needed and what it will be used for, or no one knows how much is needed yet.) I don't know which it is and the article isn't interested in telling me. He just uses the situation as an opportunity to complain about people he doesn't like.