IRS May Make Political Groups Pay.....

[nhboy (Premo)]

Link to original article.

"For years, the IRS has done little or nothing to check the rise of overtly political groups that claim a special tax-exempt status in order to funnel secret money into election-related advertising.

But in a sign that the agency may be waking from its slumber, the IRS has sent detailed questionnaires to several Tea Party organizations -- and possibly other political groups -- to determine if they truly qualify for the 501(c)(4) designation intended for groups whose exclusive purpose is to promote social welfare.

Should any group currently calling itself a 501(c)(4) have its designation denied or revoked, tax experts said the consequences could be severe, including fines of 35 percent or more of the money they raised in secret.

And the groups might have to make donors' names public.

Even loose talk about donor secrecy no longer being guaranteed could put a screaming halt to the extraordinary flow of money into these groups from deep-pocketed people and corporations that want to buy political ads without leaving fingerprints.

"If I thought it was important to remain anonymous for my business reasons or for my personal reasons, I wouldn't take any comfort in any assurances the organization has given me until now," said Karl Sandstrom, a former Federal Election Commission member who now works at the Washington office of law firm of Perkins Coie."

.....

"Meanwhile, a conservative legal organization representing several Tea Party groups assailed what it says "appears to be a coordinated attempt by the Internal Revenue Service to intimidate and silence these organizations in this election year."

The Tea Party groups released IRS questionnaires that requested detailed information, including lists of people invited to speak at events, their credentials, and hard copies of all handouts.

"The problem here is the IRS has gone beyond legitimate inquiries and is demanding that these organizations answer questions that actually violate the First Amendment rights of our clients," Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the evangelical interest group American Center for Law and Justice, said in a statement.

But Donald Tobin, a law professor at the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, said the information requested by the IRS is perfectly normal and appropriate. "The idea is to get the proper information from the organization so you can make the proper decision," he said.

An IRS spokesman declined to comment on specific cases, but said in a statement on Thursday that "when determining whether an organization is eligible for tax-exempt status, including 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, all the facts and circumstances of that specific organization must be considered." "

[Baz]

[SamSpade]

Probably should look at labor unions also.

Yeah I didn't think so either.

Awesome .....


..... when does MMfA get called to the stand

[Gilligan (Premo)]

Originally Posted by EmptyTimCup

Awesome .....


..... when does MMfA get called to the stand

Soon..we would expect.

[nhboy (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Baz

The IRS should also take another look at religious "businesses".

[thatguy]

Originally Posted by nhboy

The IRS should also take another look at religious "businesses".

as frank Zappa said "tax the churches, tax the businesses the churches own"

[SamSpade]

Originally Posted by nhboy

The IRS should also take another look at religious "businesses".

There are religious "businesses" which funnel political donations to candidates?

I mean, besides Buddhist temples?

[Gilligan (Premo)]

Originally Posted by thatguy

as frank Zappa said "tax the churches, tax the businesses the churches own"

But what does Ozzie think about the issue?

[Gilligan (Premo)]

Originally Posted by nhboy

The IRS should also take another look at religious "businesses".

Before, or after, they read the Constitution?