Mother Jones - CREW Wants IRS Probe of GOP Outside Group

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http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/crew-wants-irs-probe-gop-outside-group

By Andy Kroll
| Tue Feb. 1, 2011 10:03 AM PST

On Friday, I reported here that Democrats in Congress and campaign finance reform groups were plotting a strategy to legally challenge the tax-exempt status of powerful right-wing outside groups, including Crossroads GPS, American Action Network, and the American Future Fund. Earlier today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington did just that, formally requesting that the Internal Revenue Service investigate the American Future Fund to determine whether the Iowa-based group violated its tax-exempt status, which allows AFF to hide the identity of its donors.

As I explained, challenges to 501(c)4 outside groups' tax status hinge upon one particular clause in the tax law. According to the IRS, 501(c)4 groups, otherwise known as social welfare organizations, must be primarily issue-driven outfits. A group like American Future Fund can engage in political advocacy, running ads that attack or express support for a particular candidate, so long as that political advocacy "is not its primary activity." In a letter sent to the IRS on Tuesday, CREW alleges that AFF in fact made politicking its primary purpose. snip

"How can an organization that has a sitting Republican legislator as its chief executive claim to be non-partisan?" said Ms. Sloan. "It is clear the American Future Fund is a front for wealthy Republicans to anonymously spend millions electing Republicans to Congress."

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1. K & R. n/t

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2. K&R

That ought to set their hair on fire.