There is a lot of news on Lois Lerner taking the 5th Amendment on advice of counsel, regarding her role and knowledge of IRS targeting tea party and conservative groups for auditing by the IRS. These groups operating under 501(c)4 status were being audited for contributing more than 50% of their funding resources to private political agenda and groups, while also NOT being able to demonstrate that these organizations were, in fact, providing social services and/or community services under their 501(c)4 designation. Before rushing to judgment and saying that Lerner and the IRS were operating inappropriately, one might look at the antecedent actions--that these alleged social services nonprofits were providing NEITHER social services nor adhering to the guidelines FOR non-profit groups. This is, in part, a case of right-wing funders wanting to contribute political financial capital to candidates which otherwise would be disallowed under the current campaign funding statutes. So, these funders create a faux non-profit under 501(c)4, and then funnel more monetary contributions through allowable (not primarily contributing, meaning less than 50%) means. However the second part of 501(c)4 means demonstrating that they are, in fact, providing those social services. In most cases, in 2012, which is when this flap emerged, the organizations could NOT demonstrate this--hail Karl Rove, CitizznsUnided, and the Koch brothers. Their attack on the IRS, simply, is BECAUSE THEY WERE FOUND OUT!!!!!
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:34:56 +0000
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