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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Supreme Court Upholds Right to Run Genuine Issue Ads during Elections

On June 25, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Federal Election Commission vs. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc., ruling 5-4 that the federal electioneering communications ban is unconstitutional when applied to genuine issue ads. The case challenged a provision in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) that bars corporations, including nonprofits, from paying for broadcasts that mention federal candidates 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a primary (known as the blackout period). Though the Court ruled in favor of groups that run issue ads during elections, the debate will likely continue throughout the upcoming presidential election and beyond.

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IRS Seeks Comments on Proposed Revisions to Annual Filing by Nonprofits

For the first time since 1979, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has proposed major revisions to Form 990, the annual information return filed by tax-exempt organizations. The draft form, supplementary schedules and instructions are available on the IRS website. The changes include a new Schedule C for all 501(c) organizations to report information on lobbying efforts and activities that support or oppose candidates for public office. Public comments can be filed electronically or mailed to the IRS by Sept. 14.

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Supreme Court Blocks Case Against Faith-Based Initiatives

Jun 25, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Also in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today blocked a lawsuit by the group Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc., because average citizens do not have the legal right to challenge President Bush's program on federal aid to faith-based organizations. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. wrote the majority opinion in the case. The lawsuit was filed in 2004 claiming that the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives unfairly used taxpayer money to give an advantage to religious groups seeking federal funding, supporting religious groups over secular ones.

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WRTL Victory for Grassroots Lobbying Broadcasts

Jun 25, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The commentary on the WRTL decision will continue throughout the black out period (30 and 60 day pre-election period) as today's ruling is seen in action. Initial responses have begun, and here at OMB Watch, we are pleased with the safeguard in place for grassroots lobbying communications. However, others are concerned that today's opinion "will likely lead to a new proliferation of corporate and union funded campaign ads in the 2008 election season."

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Americans United Calls on IRS to Investigate Rhode Island Catholic Diocese

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has cautioned that it will closely watch the partisan political activities of charities as the 2008 election approaches. This enforcement may address new complaints about alleged political intervention, including a June 13 Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) letter to the IRS asking for an investigation into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, RI, for possibly violating its tax-exempt status.

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WRTL Case Decided

Jun 25, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Supreme Court issued its decision in the Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL) case this morning ruling by 5-4 that the group had a First Amendment right to air the ads that named Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) who was up for re-election. The case challenged the constitutionality of a part of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), the "electioneering communications" rule which bans incorporated nonprofits from airing any broadcast that refers to federal candidates 60 days before an election or 30 days before a primary.

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Follow the Campaign Donations

Jun 22, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has introduced a new tool on its website to track presidential campaign donations as part of an effort to make campaign finance data more accessible. An online map graphically displays individual contributions to 2008 Presidential candidates organized by zip code. Users can compare contributions to specific candidates, all candidates, or all candidates from a political party, and you can also export the data into an Excel spreadsheet.

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Line Between Campaign and Charity

Jun 22, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The New York Times reports on the tax-exempt organization of presidential candidate John Edwards, the Center for Promise and Opportunity.

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Church-State Lawsuit Filed in North Dakota

Jun 21, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The New York Times reports that the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has filed a lawsuit on behalf of three state taxpayers against North Dakota to prohibit public financing of the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. The teen Home provides therapeutic and rehabilitative services for troubled youth rooted in Christian teachings, Bible readings, and religious services. This case is the most recent legal challenge to public financing of religious-based programs.

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Lobbying Language Must Stay Strong

Jun 21, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) received a letter yesterday from reform groups on her leadership involving recent House Lobby and Ethics reform legislation. A similar letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). The letter calls on the Democratic leaders to keep the strong provisions in their respective bills intact so that numerous changes do not weaken the bill during the upcoming conference report. The groups express concern for the bundling provision, maintaining the disclosure by lobbyists of their fund-raising events, and disclosure of lobbyists bundling contributions.

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