Group muddies McCain message: Non-profit bent rules while supporting his agenda, raising money

[babylonsister]

WASHINGTON — Allies of Sen. John McCain opened a Washington think tank in 2001 to promote transparency and accountability in government, a signature issue for the Arizona Republican after his presidential primary loss to George W. Bush.

For the next seven years, the non-profit Reform Institute churned out position papers and offered expert testimony on campaign finance reform, the need for bipartisanship and other issues, frequently supporting McCain's positions.

But behind the scenes, the institute's practices have at times arguably been at odds with its reformist message, and with McCain's political identity as an enemy of special interests. In fact, the Reform Institute has stretched and may have broken rules governing charitable organizations, according to experts on tax law.

The institute has twice omitted the names of donors in IRS filings. IRS rules require that charities identify their contributors to government regulators.

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