Protecting Nonprofit 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

More on the IRS PACI Report

Feb 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

A New York Times article on the IRS Political Activities Complaince Initiative (formerly Political Intervention Program). While the release of the report may be an indication of more transparency from the IRS, Marcus Owens, attorney for All Saints Church notes, "I wonder whether or not all the 50 or 60 organizations they identified as having engaged in illegal political intervention really did have significant issues," he said. "That having been said, give me an hour and my computer and I can sit down and give the I.R.S. 200 good audit leads on questionable political activity."

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Santorum Charity Had 60% Overhead

Feb 27, 2006 by Guest Blogger

From the AP: Sen. Rick Santorum's charity donated about 40 percent of the $1.25 million it spent during a four-year period - well below Better Business Bureau standards - paying out the rest for overhead, including several hundred thousand dollars to campaign aides on the charity payroll, records show.

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IRS Releases Report on PIP Program

Feb 24, 2006 by Guest Blogger

The IRS has finally issued a report on nonprofit's political activity in elections. Look for a summary in the next Watcher, or better yet, read it now!

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FEC Set To Vote on Internet March 20

Feb 24, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Roll Call offers this article (paid subscription required). A snippet: FEC Chairman Michael Toner said he favors less restrictions when it comes to the Internet than more. "What the FEC does in this area will affect the online political activities of millions of Americans," he said. "I also think the FEC should make very clear that the press exemption applies with full force to online activities including the activities of bloggers, who in this society are functioning in my view as press entities."

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Rudman Rept Dropped; Critical of Fannie Mae, Not Enough for Action

Feb 23, 2006 by Guest Blogger

A report by former Sen. Warren Rudman, released today, is highly critical of accounting practices at Fannie Mae -- especially actions by its former chief financial officer. But that might not be enough push Sen. Richard Shelby to press for action on a bill to revamp oversight at government-sponsored enterprises. However, many expect Shelby to cave to White House demands on language dealing with portfolios. Why are we concerned about this?

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OMB Watch Files Petition for Electioneering Communication Rulemaking

On Feb. 16, OMB Watch joined numerous other groups, including the AFL-CIO, Alliance for Justice, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in filing a Petition for Rulemaking with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), asking the FEC to exempt legitimate grassroots communications from "electioneering communication" prohibitions.

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Lobby Reform: Momentum in Senate; House, Nonprofits Weigh Impact

After making a lot of noise about reform, lawmakers finally move to wade through the mountain of lobby and ethics reform bills and begin marking up legislation.

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Muslim Nonprofit Under Investigation

Feb 21, 2006 by Guest Blogger

KindHearts of Toledo assets have been frozen by the US Government. KindHearts is a nonprofit charitable organization administering humanitarian aid to the world's poor. In the past, its officials have denied being connected to any terrorist group or individual. Read a Plain Dealer article on the investigation.

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Will Earmark Reform Fail Because Members Will Protect Their Money?

Feb 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

Will earmark reform fail as members try to protect their money? From The Hill: The building momentum for earmark reform could force lawmakers to cut back significantly on their beloved pork projects, and in the process reduce something that is in short supply on Capitol Hill: bipartisanship.

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Religous Groups Push Back on Travel Ban

Feb 17, 2006 by Guest Blogger

From The Hill: A handful of nonprofit groups that sponsor travel for members of Congress are pushing back against recent proposals to ban privately funded trips, arguing that their activities are far different from the golfing and exotic foreign junkets that have been the centerpiece of recent lobbying scandals.

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