[Lnc-business] 501(c)3 sketchy behavior

[Tim Hagan]

I think you can call the local group for a nice chat. Do you think you 
can get them to send out a corrected mailing? Remind them that under the 
Internal Revenue Code, all 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely 
prohibited from directly or indirectly intervening in any political 
campaign on behalf of any candidate for elective public office. 
Violating this prohibition may result in revocation of tax-exempt status 
of the national group. Voter education with evidence of bias that have 
the effect of favoring a candidate or group of candidates will 
constitute prohibited participation or intervention. (I stole most of 
these words from the IRS website.)

If you want to go further, file a Form 13909, Tax-Exempt Organization 
Complaint (Referral), with the IRS. The Voter Participation Center's EIN 
is 55-0889748.
See 
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/divulge_all_suspected_tax_exempt_status_abuses_to_the_irs.pdf
Then, if you want, you can publicize that The Voter Participation Center 
has a complaint filed against them.

---
Tim Hagan
Treasurer, Libertarian National Committee

On 2019-08-28 04:52, Susan Hogarth via Lnc-business wrote:
> If the image didn’t come through, the original is here:
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> https://www.facebook.com/172686992767804/posts/2355105831192565?sfns=mo
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>   Susan Jane Hogarth
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>   Region 5 Alternate
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>   919-906-2106 (tel:919-906-2106)
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>> 
>> On Aug 28, 2019 at 7:39 AM,  <Susan Hogarth via Lnc-business 
>> (mailto:lnc-business at hq.lp.org)>  wrote:
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>>  Good morning comrades!
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>> I’m writing both in my capacity as Regional Alt and state Chair. As 
>> many of you know there are two special Congressional Elections in NC 
>> this year. A progressive 501(c)3 org with a not-unblemished history 
>> named The Voter Participation Center
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>>  https://www.voterparticipation.org 
>> (https://www.voterparticipation.org/)
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>> sent out a mailer to District 9 voters recently. An image of the 
>> mailer is included here.
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>> As you can see, it purports to be ‘nonpartisan’ (and does that 
>> annoying thing of trying to look like an ‘official notice’, but that’s 
>> not wrong, just annoying). BUT ... neither the LP nor the GP 
>> candidates, who will both be on the ballot, are listed here. Is this 
>> crossing some sort of line for a ‘nonprofit research organization’? 
>> Does this exclusion rise to the level of advocacy for one group (D/R) 
>> over another (‘third parties’)?
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>> I know this isn’t actionable in any way that can really redress the 
>> harm I think is being done (and intended) by the organization (this 
>> election is a do-over of one last year where the LP candidate’s vote 
>> today GREATLY exceeded the difference between D and R). But maybe 
>> there’s some way we can get our candidate (Jeff Scott; you can donate 
>> here if you feel called to! http://jeffscottforcongress.com 
>> (http://jeffscottforcongress.com/) ) some good PR from this and maybe 
>> blacken the eye of this group?
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>> I have also considered calling this group to have a nice 
>> heart-to-heart chat on ethics and inclusion, but that was before I 
>> realized it was a national group.
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>> Sorry for the length and rambling; I’m just feeling frustrated and 
>> could use some advice.
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>>  Thanks!
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>>  Susan Jane Hogarth
>> 
>>  Region 5 Alternate
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>>  919-906-2106 (tel:919-906-2106)
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