PLEASE READ ENTIRE PAGE, THEN COMMENT TO REMOVE PROPOSED NEW IRS RULES. PASS ALONG TO OTHERS AS WELL ! New IRS Rules Threaten First Amendment Rights! New year, new scandal. Fresh off last years power-abuse scandal, the IRS has just proposed new rules relating to tax-exempt organizations that could seriously threaten your right to free speech. If these new rules pass many non-profit groups will be MUZZLED - unable to organize supporters or make appeals to their fellow citizens. For instance, one rule would prohibit non-profit groups from even mentioning a candidates name within 60 days of an election! Fortunately, the IRS is accepting public comments on the proposed rules. The Full summary is pasted below. Use this code to give citizen feedback: IRS REG-134417-13! CLICK HERE to submit a public comment telling the IRS how these rules will affect groups in your area ------------------------------------------------ The Internal Revenue Service–fresh off last year’s major power abuse scandal–has proposed new rules governing the activity of tax-exempt organizations that could have major implications for citizens trying to exercise their right to free speech. The proposed rules represent a new front in the agency’s crusade to crack down on foes of the Obama administration. Because the IRS is part of the executive bureaucracy, Congress has no power to stop it from making new rules. But while your Representative and Senator won’t be able to stand up for your First Amendment rights, you will. The IRS is accepting comments on the proposed new rules at this link. After reading about the rule below, you can go to regulations.gov/ and enter the code “IRS REG-134417-13″ to leave a comment on how the new rules could affect citizen groups in your community. After the tax-collecting bureau’s inappropriate political targeting of conservative groups was exposed earlier this year, the IRS shifted its focus to tightening the rules by which nonprofit groups are allowed to operate, and may soon forbid journalism and social welfare organizations from conducting many of their day-to-day activities. Whether the new rules are part of a continued attack on conservative groups or simply a misguided abuse of power, they threaten to have far-reaching implications for nonprofits across the political spectrum. The proposed new IRS rules focus on nonprofit groups that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(4)–defined as “social welfare” groups primarily concerned with raising public awareness on certain topics. These groups–which fall all over the political spectrum, but include the majority of Tea Party groups–are allowed to conduct “political activity” so long as that activity is not the primary focus of the organization. Thus, 501(c)(4) groups are allowed to praise and criticize candidates, nominees, legislation, and other aspects of the political process as they relate to their mission–and the contributions of these groups form an essential part of our political dialogue. But if the IRS has its way, this will change, and these groups will be muzzled, unable to organize their supporters or make appeals to their fellow citizens without fear of retribution and the loss of their tax-exempt status. One of the proposed new rules radically redefines “candidate-related political activity” by extending the definition to seemingly prohibit groups from any activity tangentially related to a campaign. For example, one clause of the new rule would prevent nonprofit groups from mentioning a candidate within 60 days of an election. Although seemingly intended to crack down on electioneering, the rule would turn such run-of-the-mill activities as reporting on legislative votes and committee sessions into forbidden fruit. This means that a group focusing on tax issues couldn’t talk about a city council’s vote on a tax increase–if the council scheduled that vote within two months of an election! Candidate forums, lawmaker scorecards, and even events as innocuous as non-partisan voter registration and awareness drives would put groups at risk of feeling the IRS’ hammer. If the proposed rule passes, it will not only prevent hundreds of nonprofit groups from being able to operate as they normally do, but could also set the IRS on a vengeful slippery slope toward further restricting 501(c)(4) social welfare groups and 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. One plausible extension of this rule could move federal bureaucrats and nominees under the protected umbrella of “candidates,” preventing 501(c)(4) and (c)(3) groups from commenting on, for example, nominees to the Supreme Court, Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, and various other federal agencies. The IRS’ motives are open for speculation–depending on your level of trust in government, it may simply be tightening restrictions on tax-exempt groups, or running a more coordinated campaign against organizations that stand in opposition to the federal government. Yet whatever its reasons for changing the rules, the IRS would set a dangerous precedent for the future of free speech and political discourse in America by limiting the political speech rights of nonprofit organizations. First Amendment advocates should be very wary of the tax agency’s latest schemes. If you’re concerned by this new rule, make sure to go to regulations.gov and enter the code IRS REG-134417-13 to leave your comment before the comment period ends on February 27!
Posted on: Sun, 02 Feb 2014 12:49:13 +0000
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