Nonprofit Lobbying Rights

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

527 or Issue Advocacy

Sep 25, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

A New York Times editorial praised a court's decision denying the Real Truth About Obama's (RTAO) request to block Federal Election Commission (FEC) campaign finance rules. The editorial states; "The wholesale descent into Swift Boat campaigning has been blocked - for now - by a federal judge in Virginia."

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FEC, DOJ Must Respond to 527's Court Challenge

Sep 23, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

We reported when the Real Truth About Obama Inc.'s (RTAO) preliminary injunction request was denied. RTAO appealed the case and it is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. BNA Money and Politics ($$) reports that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have until Sept. 24 to respond to a bid for an injunction request to block enforcement of campaign finance rules.

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FEC Holds Hearing on Bundling Rule

Sep 18, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) held a hearing on how to implement a new requirement that all federal candidates, parties and political committees report any registered lobbyists or lobbying entities who engage in bundling of campaign contributions. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act required the FEC to create a rule for the disclosure of bundled lobbyist contributions worth $15,000 or more.

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Oral Argument in NAM Lobbying Disclosure Case

Sep 16, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

On September 12, 2008, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) v. Taylor. NAM is challenging a provision (Section 207) in the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) that requires a lobbying coalition to disclose members that fund and actively participate in the coalition's lobbying efforts. NAM's argues that the HLOGA provision violates the First Amendment and is unconstitutionally vague.

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Utah's Regulation of Ballot Measure Expenditures Ruled Unconstitutional as Applied to Nonprofit in Particular Instance

Sep 12, 2008 by Lateefah Williams*

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation (Foundation) filed suit challenging three state statutes that define "corporation," "political issues committee," political issues expenditure," and "impose disclosure and reporting requirements on all organizations that make campaign related expenditures."

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Judge Denies 527's Request Challenging FEC Rules

Sep 11, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Associated Press reports that U.S. District Judge James Spencer denied the Real Truth About Obama Inc.'s preliminary injunction request. According to BNA Money and Politics ($$), Judge Spencer told attorneys that "he would rule quickly" in the case challenging Federal Election Commission restrictions on 527 groups.

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FEC to Vote on Proposed Bundling Rule

Sep 11, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) will hold a public hearing Sept. 17 on proposed bundling rules for reporting contributions bundled by lobbyists, lobbying organizations, and the political action committees of lobbyists. The FEC will hear from some of those who commented in writing on the proposed rule issued Nov. 2007.

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District Court Allows Group to Air Ads Before Election

Sep 10, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

On Sept. 5 Ohio Southern District Court Judge George C. Smith ruled to allow the Ohio Right to Life Society (ORTL) air advertisements mentioning the name of a political candidate within 30 days of an election. The decision prohibits the state of Ohio from enforcing a state campaign finance law restricting corporate funding of messages that mention a candidate in the weeks before an election (electioneering communications) as it related to the two specific ORTL ads at issue. The judge denied their request to also block enforcement of provisions requiring disclosure of those who fund the ads.

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Terrorism Charges Filed Against RNC Protest Group

Sep 4, 2008 by Kay Guinane

The Los Angeles Times reports that eight members of a group planning protests at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis have been arrested by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department and charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. According to the article, the group planned to block traffic and "considered barricading bridges, spraying delegates with urine and possibly kidnapping delegates." The charges could result in prison sentences of up to five years and fines of $10,000 or both.

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Attention Oregonians: Ballot Measure Could Silence the Voice of Charities

Aug 28, 2008 by Amanda Adams*

Defend Oregon reports that Measure 64 could lead to a loss in funding or severe penalties for Oregon charities. Measure 64 on the ballot in the November general election would prohibit public employees from using voluntary payroll deductions to donate to nonprofits, charities, unions, and other organizations of their choice.

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