WTF? Now the GOP website is listing these tax-free groups as supporters?

[LynneSin]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/GOP_website_appears_to_flout_law_0116.html

It's an open secret in Washington: Nonprofit doesn't always mean nonpartisan.

But RAW STORY has found that the Republican National Committee lists a panoply of conservative nonprofits as "GOP groups"--in direct violation of the nonprofit charter.

Tax-exempt nonprofits can lobby on political issues but cannot participate directly in campaign activities. The American Civil Liberties Union lobbied Congress to ban torture. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington lobbies Congress on Congressional corruption. And Americans for Tax Reform presses lawmakers to slash taxes and government spending.

Many of these groups are led and founded by avowed Democrats or Republicans. Clinton chief of staff John Podesta started Center for American Progress, a liberal thinktank. The Leadership Institute's Morton Blackwell oversaw the youth effort for Ronald Reagan, and former counsel to liberal congressman John Conyers, Melanie Sloan, started Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics.

But 501(c)(3) law--referring to the provision in the Internal Revenue Code that designates organizations exempt from corporate and property taxation and makes donations tax deductible--strictly prohibits groups from endorsing candidates or political parties.

A nonprofit "may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate at all in campaign activity for or against political candidates," the IRS law reads.

http://www.gop.com/About/GopGroups.aspx

Just incase the GOP figures out their 'mistake' and cleans up their website:


Here's the non-profit status printed right on three of these websites!:
http://www.aei.org/about/filter.all/default.asp - American Enterpise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics, and social welfare. Founded in 1943, AEI is home to some of America's most accomplished public policy experts--from economics, law, political science, defense and foreign policy studies, ethics, theology, medicine, and other fields. The Institute sponsors research and conferences and publishes books, monographs, and periodicals. Its website, www.aei.org, posts its publications, videos and transcripts of its conferences, biographies of its scholars and fellows, and schedules of upcoming events.

http://www.ouramericanvalues.org/about.php - American Values
American Values is a non-profit organization committed to uniting the American people around the vision of our Founding Fathers. Centuries ago, our Founders boldly proclaimed to the world a distinctly American faith in democracy; a faith rooted in the self-evident truths that "all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." I believe these liberties need to be upheld and cherished, especially given how closely divided our country seems.

http://www.urbancure.org/dev/catdetails.asp?MajorCatID=33 - Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education
CURE’s influence is proven. The nonprofit organization was instrumental in developing and passing the 1996 Federal Welfare Reform bill, and Parker used her testimony of faith and entrepreneurism to make time limits and work requirements part of national law.