Building Nonprofit Advocacy Capacity

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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more news

Church Electioneering Charges on Eve of Election

Nov 8, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

A day before the election Americans United for Separation of Church and State asked the IRS to investigate four churches because of their political activities. Two of the cases involve Republicans and two Democrats. Bethel AME Church in Cambridge, Maryland hosted a rally for gubernatorial candidate O'Malley, of which AU considers was a partisan rally. Lakeview Assembly of God in Hot Springs, Arkansas advertised in the local newspaper the appearance of gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson, while the opponent was not included in the program.

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Voting Today

Nov 7, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

For voting news throughout the day, visit this website. Updates from the voter assistance hotline, 1-866-OURVOTE, are already available here.

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Projections for Election Day 2006

Nov 7, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

Fair Vote, a non-partisan nonprofit, released What You Won't Learn From The Polls. This very interesting report is a compilation of short essays on varies aspects of the election. Chapters include such titles as; What Do Votes Have to Do With It: Democrats majorities may not win seat majorities, Monopoly Politics: How on Thursday we will predict nearly all House winners… for 2008, and Slouching Toward Diversity: Who’s to gain when a few more white men lose?. The essays are based on the analysis presented in the report Monopoly Politics 2006.

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VoteStory.org

Nov 3, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

A new tool has been developed to report and assist voters who may face difficulties voting on November 7. At VoteStory.org any organization with a web site can download for free the “Web page widget” so that any who visit their website can click on a link to share their voting story. Those who share an experience will be referred to voter protection organizations for support. Hopefully many organizations will take advantage of this so that the service is widely available throughout the web and no one will have trouble reporting a voting problem.

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Nonprofits Used as Front for Foreign Lobby

Nov 3, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

This in depth Washington Post article outlines how two groups, Korean and Malaysian nonprofits, were merely disguised as nonprofit organizations, but operated by a Washington lobbying firm, Alexander Strategy Group. Since 2001, the Korea — U.S. Exchange Council and the U.S. — Malaysia Exchange Association paid for members of Congress, Hill staffers, and relatives to go on lavish trips. The lobbying firm recently shut down, and its owner is now being investigated in relation to Jack Abramoff.

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Ford Rally Held In Church

Nov 2, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

The director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Barry W. Lynn, says the IRS should examine the Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ because of the church's use for a Harold Ford Jr. rally. Former President Bill Clinton appeared at this rally in Memphis yesterday. At issue is whether the resources of the church -- the cost to rent it out, additional security for the ex-president, lighting and heat -- are being spent on a partisan political rally, Lynn said. The story can be read here.

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Voting In Ohio

Nov 2, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

After much confusion, the latest Ohio voter identification rules are discussed in this news story out of Cincinnati. Yesterday a federal court settlement clarifies Ohio's voter-identification rules, and suspends ID requirements altogether for absentee ballots. This is a success for the poverty and labor groups who filed the lawsuit charging the id law was not being applied equally throughout the state. Yet, the back and forth court decisions have probably left most voters in Ohio very confused.

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The Dangers of Voter Guides in Houses of Worship

Nov 1, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

Americans United for Separation of Church and State released a press release once again advising houses of worship about jeopardizing their tax-exempt status. The notice warns of "religious right" voter guides that may not be nonpartisan. Americans United has reportedly reviewed voter guides and found many to be biased. The group advices houses of worship to take notice if the voter guide was put together by an outside group, as many are 501(c)(4) organizations who may endorse a candidate, but churches may not. The press release cites numerous examples of their findings:

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Public Citizen Asks IRS to Investigate U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Nov 1, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

The New York Times reports that Public Citizen filed a complaint with the IRS based on the assertion that the United States Chamber of Commerce and its affiliate, the Institute for Legal Reform, violated tax laws by failing to report tens of millions of dollars used to influence state and federal elections from 2000 through 2004. Public Citizen sent a letter to the IRS asking for a formal review of the two organizations by the criminal division. The Chamber of Commerce dismissed the claims as politically motivated.

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Maine Groups Wants Supreme Court To Hear BCRA Challenge

Nov 1, 2006 by Amanda Adams*

As reported in September, a lawsuit by the Christian Civic League of Maine (CCLM), challenging the electioneering communications provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act was dismissed, but now the group is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal. The lower court rejected the challenge because the ad campaign was on legislation that had already been voted on. The group is claiming that BCRA's ban on corporate and union funding of pre-election ads that refer to a federal candidate is unconstitutional, in regards to ads addressing the Marriage Amendment.

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