To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Enforce the IRS' 501c4 law and revoke tax exemption from primarily political entities.
The American People are being taken advantage of, and the US Government is losing out on tax revenue, by allowing dark money organizations to be classified as 501(c)(4). This just should not be allowed to continue. The tax exempt classification should be stripped from these overtly political entities.
Why is this important?
Ask the IRS to revoke the tax exempt status from any group, conservative or liberal, who does not truly fit into the correct classification.
The 501(c)(4) designation is actually intended for nonprofit group classified as "Civic Leagues, Social Welfare Organizations, and Local Associations of Employees."
None of those terms apply to any group recently embroiled in the so-called IRS "scandal."
501(c)(4) organizations are generally civic leagues and other corporations operated exclusively for the promotion of "social welfare", such as civics and civics issues, or local associations of employees with membership limited to a designated company or people in a particular municipality or neighborhood, and with net earnings DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes. 501(c)(4) organizations may lobby for legislation, and unlike 501(c)(3) organizations they may also participate in political campaigns and elections, AS LONG AS ITS PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL WELFARE.
501(c)(4) organizations are NOT REQUIRED to disclose their donors publicly.
The lack of disclosure has led to extensive use of the 501(c)(4) provisions for organizations that are actively involved in lobbying, and has become controversial. Criticized as "dark money," spending from these organizations on political TV ads has exceeded spending from Super PACs.
The 501(c)(4) designation is actually intended for nonprofit group classified as "Civic Leagues, Social Welfare Organizations, and Local Associations of Employees."
None of those terms apply to any group recently embroiled in the so-called IRS "scandal."
501(c)(4) organizations are generally civic leagues and other corporations operated exclusively for the promotion of "social welfare", such as civics and civics issues, or local associations of employees with membership limited to a designated company or people in a particular municipality or neighborhood, and with net earnings DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes. 501(c)(4) organizations may lobby for legislation, and unlike 501(c)(3) organizations they may also participate in political campaigns and elections, AS LONG AS ITS PRIMARY ACTIVITY IS THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL WELFARE.
501(c)(4) organizations are NOT REQUIRED to disclose their donors publicly.
The lack of disclosure has led to extensive use of the 501(c)(4) provisions for organizations that are actively involved in lobbying, and has become controversial. Criticized as "dark money," spending from these organizations on political TV ads has exceeded spending from Super PACs.