[Lnc-business] Fwd: IRS Rule Change That Would Destroy Free Speech and Grassroots Activism

Wed Sep 14 22:09:52 EDT 2016

In general, I am suspicious of such limits on political activity since they
always tend to have a disproportionate impact on, well, us.  It seems to me
that this organization is right on the merits.  Like my colleague from
Indiana, I'd like to know what signing on entails and what we're being
asked to do or can be asked to do in the future.

Joshua A. Katz
Westbrook CT Planning Commission (L in R seat)

On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 5:56 PM, Sam Goldstein <goldsteinatlarge at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Although I absolutely agree with the premise of this alliance, we are
> clearly a partisan policy party.  I wonder how that would
> set with any other groups involved in the project.
>
> I would also want a better understanding of what would be asked of us and
> what we would gain in return.
>
> Live Free,
>
>
>
> Sam Goldstein
> Libertarian National Committee
> Member at Large
> 8925 N Meridian St, Ste 101
> Indianapolis IN 46260
> 317-850-0726 Phone
> 317-582-1773 Fax
>
> On Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 5:35 PM, Nicholas Sarwark <chair at lp.org> wrote:
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> I have had some discussions with the Tax Revolution Institute about the
>> Libertarian Party joining their First Amendment Alliance.  Below is an
>> email from Jason Casella, the Program Director, with details about what is
>> happening and what they're doing.  I told him I would send it on to the LNC
>> to discuss whether we are interested in signing on.  Please chime in with
>> whether you would support or oppose our signing on and reasons so I can get
>> a sense of whether it's something that should be put up for a vote.
>>
>> Yours in liberty,
>> Nick
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Jason Casella <jcasella at taxrevolution.us>
>> Date: Wed, Sep 14, 2016 at 1:29 PM
>> Subject: IRS Rule Change That Would Destroy Free Speech and Grassroots
>> Activism
>> To: chair at lp.org
>>
>>
>> Good Afternoon Nick,
>>
>> It was a pleasure speaking with you again.   As I mentioned, we have
>> formed a non partisan first amendment alliance
>> <https://taxrevolution.us/first-amendment-alliance/> to stop this rule
>> and would love to have the Libertarian Party join and wanted to see if you
>> know of any organizations that would like to join.   Here is a little more
>> background on the situation as well as a link for the bill
>> <https://taxrevolution.us/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Free-Speech-Protection-Act-Final.pdf>
>> we have prepared.
>>
>> Shortly before Thanksgiving in 2013, as the American public left for the
>> holiday, the IRS quietly issued a proposed rule
>> <https://taxrevolution.us/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IRS-Rule-line-by-line-explanation.odt> to
>> “clarify” the definition of political activity for not-for-profit social
>> welfare organizations (501c4s). This “clarification
>> <https://www.thenation.com/article/irs-swings-dark-money-misses-target/>”
>> would have left many organizations unable to function, as it would have
>> effectively prohibited them from mentioning the voting records and names of
>> many public officials. After receiving over 175,000 comments
>> <https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=IRS-2013-0038>, mostly in
>> opposition, the IRS withdrew the rule. Shortly afterward, instead of taking
>> the initiative to protect free speech, Congress kicked the can down the
>> road, prohibiting the funding of any such new rule *until October 1st of
>> this year*.
>>
>> On June 8th, 2016, 43 members of Congress
>> <http://www.dems.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Letter-to-Full-Committee-on-501c4-Rider1.pdf> *urged
>> the House Appropriations Committee to remove even those modest protections*,
>> and allow the IRS to fund the nonprofit muzzling rule. And as
>> revealed in an interview with *Politico*
>> <http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/irs-may-broaden-rule-to-police-political-nonprofits-116206>,
>> not only is IRS Commissioner John Koskinen still pursuing the rule, but he
>> now wants to expand it to include all nonprofits; labor unions, business
>> associations, churches, educational institutions, and even charities.
>>
>> The rules claim to be an attempt to “clarify” what makes an
>> activity “political” and therefore cannot be counted toward a nonprofit
>> organization’s purpose. They could include:
>>
>>    - posting a candidate’s voting record
>>    - voter registration
>>    - get-out-the-vote efforts
>>
>>
>>    - voter guides
>>    - candidate questionnaires
>>    - discussing issues “related” to candidates
>>
>>
>>    - Having the name of a candidate on a non-profit’s website, *even if
>>    it was posted before they were a candidate*
>>
>> *If enacted, these rules would censor many nonprofit organizations,
>> reduce civic engagement, and open the door to crippling red tape for even
>> the most non-political organizations.*
>>
>> If Congress does not act by October 1st, the impact these IRS rules could
>> have on nonprofits of all types could be devastating. The Tax Revolution
>> Institute’s First Amendment Alliance will raise awareness about the full
>> impact of these rules and organize action to prevent their implementation.
>> For more information visit: https://taxrevolution.us/first
>> -amendment-alliance/
>> Here is also the press release
>> <https://taxrevolution.us/tax-watchdog-aims-protect-free-speech-first-amendment-alliance/>
>> we just published earlier this week on the alliance as well.
>>
>> Please reach out when you can.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>>
>> *Jason Casella*
>> Program Director
>>
>> *Tax Revolution Institute*
>> Capitol Hill District
>> 20 F Street NW
>> 7th Floor
>> Washington, D.C.  20001
>> P 202-507-6329 <202-601-0454>
>> F 202-507-6101 <202-601-0454>
>> C 202-601-0454
>>
>> jcasella at taxrevolution.us <dan at taxrevolution.us>
>> http://TaxRevolution.us <http://taxrevolution.us/>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Justice and Integrity in the Tax System"
>>
>> Media Kit:
>>
>>
>> *http://TaxRevolution.us/media-kit <http://taxrevolution.us/media-kit> *
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
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