Protecting Nonprofit Rights

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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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Another 527 from 2004 Election Fined

Nov 20, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has fined the group the Media Fund $580,000 after concluding that the group illegally ran advertising against President Bush and in favor of Senator John Kerry. The FEC said that during the 2004 election, the now inactive group violated the law because it accepted unlimited donations from unions and expressly advocated the defeat or victory of a political candidate. The group was registered as a 527, but should have registered as a political committee. The Media Fund was the first to have a "probable cause hearing" under the pilot program.

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IRS Reminds Charities and Churches of Ban on Political Activity

Nov 19, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) newswire, 501(c)(3) organizations have been reminded that federal law prohibits them from becoming directly or indirectly involved in campaigns of political candidates. Steven Miller, Commissioner of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division stated; "The political contests, especially for president, are starting earlier than usual. The IRS, as it has in the past, wants to remind charities and churches of the ban on political campaign activity.

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Decision in Al-Haramain Case: State Secrets Privilege Does Not Bar Lawsuit Entirely

Nov 16, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Ninth Circuit has issued an opinion in Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Bush, returning the case to the District Court for further consideration. Al-Haramain, sued the government after receiving a document proving the Islamic charity was subject to warrantless surveillance. The government asserted the case should be dismissed based on the state secret privilege. The Ninth Circuit ruled that the subject matter of the case itself was not a state secret, but the document remains a state secret.

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Questions for the Nonprofit Sector

Nov 16, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

Check out this very interesting blog which asks what the nonprofit sector's role is in the 2008 election and as promoters of civic engagement. More importantly the author states; "The problem, rather, is that the broader social policy environment is hostile to most of our [nonprofits'] missions, hostile even to the concept of a common good. That's the limiting factor that should be changed."

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House Passes RESTORE Act and Senate Judiciary Avoid Telecom Immunity

Nov 16, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

After the RESTORE Act (HR 3773) was pulled from the House floor about a month ago, the House passed the bill with a vote of 227-189 after a Motion to Recommit was defeated. The House ignored a veto threat and passed the bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee, also ignoring the veto threat, voted 10-9, to send their bill to the full Senate. The White House favors the bill as passed by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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New Guidance for Federal Lobbying Disclosure

Nov 15, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

BNA Money and Politics ($$) reports on further implementation of the new lobbying and ethics law (S.1) which amends the Lobby Disclosure Act of 1995. Reportedly, new federal lobbying disclosure reports will allow lobbyists to make one single electronic filing, as opposed to filing separately with both the Senate and House. Many are also anticipating instructions on how to comply with the gift and travel restrictions. The Senate Ethics Committee also released on Nov.13 new forms on privately sponsored travel.

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Groups Question Implementation of Faith-Based Initiative

Nov 14, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

OMB Watch is a part of the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination, which has asked the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to investigate the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, requesting an oversight hearing. The letter is a result of numerous developments including a recommendation by the Justice Department posted last month that suggests faith-based organizations should be exempt from the employment nondiscrimination rules attached to some federal grants.

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FEC to Meet Nov. 20 to Possibly Approve Electioneering Communications Rule

Nov 14, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has scheduled a special meeting Nov. 20 to approve a new rule on electioneering communications in accordance with the Supreme Court's decision in FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life Inc. (WRTL). BNA Money and Politics ($$) reports that the rule "is expected to set critical ground rules for political ads in the 2008 campaign season and beyond.

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Council of Europe Disapproves of Terrorism Blacklist Standards

Nov 14, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Washington Post has addressed a Council of Europe report, Europe's leading human rights watchdog organization, approved by their Legal Affairs Committee criticizing the way the United Nations and the European Union blacklist terrorist suspects. The report states that the method used to sanction individuals and organizations does not include any "procedures for an independent review of decisions taken, and for compensation for infringements of rights.

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"Diverse Nonprofit Groups Condemn Ensign Amendment Obstructing Passage of Senate Electronic Disclosure Bill"

Nov 13, 2007 by Amanda Adams*

The Campaign Finance Institute has issued a press release announcing an effort led by OMB Watch which culminated in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urging them to drop the Ensign Amendment to S. 223, the Campaign Disclosure Parity Act. The unrelated amendment would require charities, religious organizations, and civic nonprofit organizations to disclose all of their donors who contributed $5,000 or more when they file an ethics complaint against any Senator. This is clearly meant to defeat a bill that has no public objection.

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Resources & Research

Living in the Shadow of Danger: Poverty, Race, and Unequal Chemical Facility Hazards

People of color and people living in poverty, especially poor children of color, are significantly more likely...

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A Tale of Two Retirements: One for CEOs and One for the Rest of Us

The 100 largest CEO retirement funds are worth a combined $4.9 billion, equal to the entire retirement account savings of 41 percent of American fam...

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Blowing Smoke: Chemical Companies Say “Trust Us,” But Environmental and Workplace Safety Violations Belie Their Rhetoric

Large chemical companies a...

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Gasping for Support: Implementation of Tougher Air Quality Standards Will Require New Funds for State Agencies

New scientific research shows that the current levels of...

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