"Former IRS Official Demands Investigation of ALEC" By Janie Lorber Roll Call Staff

[applegrove]

Former IRS Official Demands Investigation of ALEC

By Janie Lorber
Roll Call Staff

http://www.rollcall.com/news/-215876-1.html

"SNIP.................................

The former head of the IRS’ Exempt Organizations division has asked the agency to revoke the tax-exempt status of the conservative nonprofit ALEC.

Marcus Owens, a lawyer at Caplin & Drysdale, who for a decade directed the division responsible for approving organizations’ charity status, accused the American Legislative Exchange Council of illegally lobbying state lawmakers among other violations of tax law in a letter to the IRS earlier this month, Roll Call has learned.

"ALEC has deliberately and repeatedly failed to comply with some of the most fundamental federal tax requirements applicable to public charities,” he wrote. "The information in this submission also suggests, quite strongly, that the conduct of ALEC and certain of its representatives violates other civil and criminal tax laws and may violate other federal and state criminal statutes as well."

The group, which has come under fire for its support of controversial “Stand your Ground” and voter identification laws, is organized under tax code 501(c)(3) and is barred from political activity. It can lobby, so long as attempts to influence legislation do not constitute a "substantial part" of its activities. Although its stated mission is to bring corporations and lawmakers together to craft and promote legislation, the 30-year-old group insists it does not lobby, prompting formal complaints from several government watchdog groups, including Common Cause.

.......................................SNIP"

[Vincardog]

1. ALEC is barred from political activity? REALLY?

[malaise]

2. Get thee to the greatest page

Rec

[hootinholler]

3. Of course they don't lobby

They Facilitate legislation written by corporate lawyers to be given to State Legislators in boilerplate and some of those don't even strip references to ALEC in it when it's voted on.

I'm not gonna hold my breath on the prosecutions, but it would be a grand spectacle if it happened.

[DCKit]

4. Then, audit them for the past three years (or is five allowed?) and make 'em pay up. nt