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

Wed Sep 14 22:50:30 EDT 2016

I would think that Mr. Casella has already weighed the consequences of 
our involvement. I would support our participation.

_________________________
Sean O'Toole
sean at kingfieldcapital.com
(816) 739-2737

On 14 Sep 2016, at 17:56, Sam Goldstein 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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