🚀 go-pugleaf

From: CENDO RICHARD <cendo@spot.Colorado.EDU>

Ground Zero newsletter, September 1994, page 1

[reprinted with permission]

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OR MINISTRY

By Rick Cendo 

Focus on the Family (FOF) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt orgaaniztion, which 
means, at the very least, that it's supposed to stay out of the active 
support of or opposition to specific pieces of legislation.

Hank Brown is a United States Senator from Colorado.  That means he's 
supposed to represent the interests of all Coloradans,

Alas, things aren't always as they're supposed to be, 

In June, Senator Brown became incensed with an effort by the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to protect people from religious 
harassment and forceful recruitment in the workplace.  Apparently feeling 
that such a move by the EEOC would hamper the "witnessing" or recruiting 
efforts of radical fundamentalists, Brown promptly wrote legislation 
condemning the EEOC.

The rest of the story is told by James Dobson, head of FOF, in a July 
letter to its members:

"Senator Brown and his legislative aide Joe Rogers came by FOF to share 
their perspective and request public support for the resolution.  I'm 
pleased to tell you that senatorial offices were inundated with calls and 
letters after our broadcast." 

Brown's office confirmed that Brown met personally with Dobson but added 
that Brown's visit to Focus was for a radio interview.

The Internal Revenue Service rules regarding tax-exempt status are pretty 
loose, and many groups have promoted or opposed general political causes 
under the guise of "education." Indeed, many Washington, DC, research 
foundations, commonly called "think tanks," have for years pushed 
particular points of view while enjoying 501(c)(3) status.

Nevertheless, all those who play on the edges of the IRS's rules for tax 
exemption have been careful to follow two rules that the IRS insists on.  
They are:

1.  Do not endorse or oppose specifical political candidates or specific 
peices of legislation. 

2.  Do not organize people for the purpose of political activity.

Endorsing and opposing legislation and organizing for political action 
are both the sole provinces of political action committees. And unlike 
Focus, PAC's and their contributors are required to pay taxes. 

While Focus on the Family appears, in the past, to have violated its 
tax-exempt status and engaged in politcal action, it has, at least, been 
discreet about it.  No more. 

With an annual budget of $96 million and growing, Focus is now so rich 
and politically powerful that it apparently no longer feels it has to pay 
even lip service to the law. And neither does Senator Brown.

He did not go to Focus, hat in hand, for "education" or advice on how to 
be a better father.  Rather, he went to Focus with a specific peice of 
legislation he need help in pressuring the United States Senate to pass.  
He knew that Focus could deliver political action, and it did.  He knew 
that Focus, under Federal law, is not supposed to deliver political 
ation, and he didn't care.  All of this is a total violation of Federal 
tax law. 

And to top it off, Focus' president, James Dobson, is now bragging in 
public and in writing about his and Brown's blantantly illegal activity.