Nonprofit Speech 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

Coming Soon: 2009 Gold Mouse Awards

May 20, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) will soon begin evaluating all 618 House and Senate Web sites with a report expected by the end of the year. Since 2002 the CMF has been giving out the Gold Mouse awards along with a report on congressional Web sites. Each site will be given grades ranging from A+ to F with a personalized report and recommendations. The average grade last time in 2007 was a D.

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Disclosure of Recovery Act Lobbying Far from Comprehensive

President Barack Obama's March 20 memo restricts communications between federally registered lobbyists and executive branch employees on use of Recovery Act funds and requires disclosure of written communications. A closer examination of the summaries of lobbyist contacts with federal agencies shows that there are few online postings of those communications; some agencies have not posted any contacts at all. According to a review of the 29 agencies receiving stimulus money, only 110 contacts had been disclosed as of May 18.

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Political Activity Report Delayed

May 13, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

BNA Money and Politics ($$) reports that Judith Kindell, the senior technical adviser to the director of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Exempt Organizations Division, has publicly stated that the report on prohibited political activity by charities during the 2008 election has been further delayed.

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More Talk of Lobbyists Avoiding Stimulus Rules

May 13, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

The Washington Post addressed a concern we have noted before, the possible ways registered lobbyists can avoid restrictions on communications with the administration regarding Recovery Act funding; just simply send someone who is not registered. This way those who are unregistered would be the ones lobbying for funding, and the communications would go undisclosed.

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Will Lobbying Policy Change?

May 8, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Speaking at a panel hosted by George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, Norm Eisen the special counsel to President Obama for ethics and government reform indicated that the administration is open to suggestions for modifications. According to RollCall ($$), Eisen said this week that, "there is a process" in place for enforcing the new lobbying rules.

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President's Budget Recommends Removing Some LSC Restrictions

May 7, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

President Obama's FY 2010 budget request includes a total of $435 million, up from $390 million in FY 2009, for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). The President also requested the elimination of the current restrictions on non-LSC funds, including the restrictions on attorney's fees and participation in class action suits. For more on these restrictions, click here.

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Lobbying Restrictions Generate More Criticism

It appears that the Obama administration’s restrictions on lobbying are drawing criticism even as the administration defends the policies. The controversy surrounds two policy documents: one addresses restrictions on hiring lobbyists and others as political appointees, and the other focuses on communications by lobbyists about use of Recovery Act funds.

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Recent FEC Rulings May Indicate Growing Leniency in Enforcement

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) recently issued a series of rulings that may represent a move toward a more lenient interpretation of election laws. The commissioners have repeatedly split along party lines over whether to pursue possible campaign finance violations involving organizations charged with acting as political committees.

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FEC Commissioners Issue Statements Defending Votes

May 1, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Following the Federal Election Commission's (FEC) decision to dismiss the case against a 501(c)(6) organization Americans for Job Security without issuing any explanation, the FEC Commissioners recently issued Statements of Reasons. The Democrat Commissioners concluded that the AJS messages appeared to contain express advocacy, and therefore may be subject to campaign finance laws.

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Proof that Lobbying Restrictions Can Be Avoided?

Apr 29, 2009 by Amanda Adams*

Norm Eisen, the White House ethics adviser recently posted twice at the White House blog on "the administration's historic opening efforts" on ethics reform. Eisen details a meeting held with the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the American League of Lobbyists.

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