Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWatchdog: Grover Norquist's Group Misled IRS About Its 2012 Political Spending
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/11/watchdog-grover-norquist-irs-complaint-political-spendingAmericans for Tax Reform, the conservative advocacy group run by activist Grover Norquist, plunged headlong into federal elections in 2012, urging voters in California, Colorado, and Ohio to oust Democratic lawmakers. In all, ATR told the Federal Election Commission that it spent nearly $16 million last year on independent expenditurespolitical ads urging voters to support or defeat a particular candidate that aren't coordinated with any candidates or parties.
Norquist's group recently submitted its 2012 tax filing to the IRS, detailing all its spending for last year. In that filing, ATR says it spent just $9.8 million on politics in 2012a difference of some $6 million compared to what ATR told the FEC.
On Tuesday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog group, seized on that discrepancy in a complaint filed with the IRS and Justice Department. CREW alleges that Norquist's group misled the IRS about the extent of its political spending.
ATR may have had reason to low-ball the political spending figures it reported to the IRS. Norquist's group is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, also known as a social welfare organization. Under the tax law, 501(c)(4) nonprofits such as ATRwhich do not have to disclose their donorscan wade into campaigns and elections but cannot spend a majority of their money on political activities. From only reading ATR's 2012 tax filing, the group appears to abide by that restriction: ATR reported spending a total of $30 million in 2012, only $9.8 million of which went toward politicking. No issue there.
But if ATR in fact spent nearly $16 million of its $30 million budget on politicking, as CREW claims it did, then that's a different story. "ATR's own IRS and FEC filings provide incontrovertible evidence that ATR is breaking the law," CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said in a statement. "If Al Capone could be nailed for tax violations, so can Grover Norquist."
(end snip)
Ooopsie. You would think that the anti-Tax gawd, who has leaders of the free world on their knees before him signing pledges and oathes, would have people who could get his story straight.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 803 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (10)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Watchdog: Grover Norquist's Group Misled IRS About Its 2012 Political Spending (Original Post)
deminks
Nov 2013
OP
djean111
(14,255 posts)1. The thing to remember is that these people consider it their duty and mission in life to lie
in order to achieve their goals. End justifies the means, "lying for the lord", etc.
This enables them to gleefully persecute others on trumped-up charges for things that they themselves are really doing.
With enthusiasm.
It works for them, too.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)2. Norquist's group misled the IRS about the extent of its political spewing.
Imagine that. A group that is focused on misleading was engaged in misleading.
Fundamentally dishonest. Yup.
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,503 posts)3. Maybe he'll get a sternly worded letter at the most. nt