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

[Elizabeth Van Horn]

Tim, that's amazingly helpful information!  Not only for this particular 
sketchy behavior incident, but for others too.

My region has had several cases where a non-profit was holding a debate 
and/or forum, with only R & D candidates invited. These included 
promotion of the event, with bios for the candidates.  Free promotion 
for the R & D candidates.

Thank you for posting this information!

Go get 'em Susan! : )

---
Elizabeth Van Horn
LNC Region 3 Representative (IN, MI, OH, KY)
Chair-Libertarian Party of Madison Co, Indiana
Vice-Chair Libertarian Pragmatist Caucus
http://www.lpcaucus.org/


On 2019-08-28 12:55, Tim Hagan via Lnc-business wrote:
> 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:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>  
>> https://www.facebook.com/172686992767804/posts/2355105831192565?sfns=mo
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>   Susan Jane Hogarth
>> 
>>   Region 5 Alternate
>> 
>>   919-906-2106 (tel:919-906-2106)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> 
>>> On Aug 28, 2019 at 7:39 AM,  <Susan Hogarth via Lnc-business 
>>> (mailto:lnc-business at hq.lp.org)>  wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  Good morning comrades!
>>> 
>>> 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
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  https://www.voterparticipation.org 
>>> (https://www.voterparticipation.org/)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> sent out a mailer to District 9 voters recently. An image of the 
>>> mailer is included here.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 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’)?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 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?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 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.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sorry for the length and rambling; I’m just feeling frustrated and 
>>> could use some advice.
>>> 
>>>  Thanks!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  Susan Jane Hogarth
>>> 
>>>  Region 5 Alternate
>>> 
>>>  919-906-2106 (tel:919-906-2106)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>