Posted on 03/28/2011 6:53:37 AM PDT by Qbert
Media Matters really enjoys branding itself as an arbiter of truth designed to correct lies and misinformation from conservatives that they perceive is occurring in the US media.
Of course, we all know better than that. They’re no more than a Fox News bashing robot – and a bad one at that. Well, today Media Matters admitted to it’s real goal: waging “War on Fox” and the GOP. From Politico:
The liberal group Media Matters has quietly transformed itself in preparation for what its founder, David Brock, described in an interview as an all-out campaign of “guerrilla warfare and sabotage” aimed at the Fox News Channel.
The group, launched as a more traditional media critic, has all but abandoned its monitoring of newspapers and other television networks and is narrowing its focus to Fox and a handful of conservative websites, which its leaders view as a political organizations and the “nerve center” of the conservative movement…
“The strategy that we had had toward Fox was basically a strategy of containment,” said Brock, Media Matters’ chairman and founder and a former conservative journalist, adding that the group’s main aim had been to challenge the factual claims of the channel and to attempt to prevent them from reaching the mainstream media.
The new strategy, he said, is a “war on Fox.”
To me, however, that isn’t even the most notable part. No, it’s how Brock now describes the organization himself:
[MMFA founder David] Brock’s 2010 planning memo offers a glimpse at Media Matters’ shift from media critic to a new species of political animal.
“Criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press,” its memo says. “Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it is treated as such by the media, elected officials and the public.”
It is not about correcting misinformation to MMFA anymore. Their goal now is a “War on Fox News,” not as they see it as a media organization. Instead, they are treating it as a wing of the Republican Party. The cutesy-sounding mission of Media Matters to “correct conservative misinformation” is no longer even remotely appropriate. No, MMFA is a political group with $10 million-plus in annual funding designed to wage war against Fox News, and in their eyes the GOP and conservatives as a whole.
Because of this, Media Matters should reconsider their 501(c)(3) status which is designated for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. MMFA no longer meets any of these qualifiers (it’s arguable they never did) and under the banner of waging a war against Fox News and the GOP puts them in an entirely different zip code.
UPDATE: Ed Morrissey at Hot Air (who kindly links back here) finds the use of the word “sabotage” worrisome, but notes they’re finally giving up their fauz-credibility.
Beck and Stew are talking about this right now.
When faced with going insane or facing up to the truth. The liberals choose insanity 9 times out of 10.
They “choose” insanity, because by definition, they are already there, because they reject the truth.
It seems they have violated the requirements and restrictions:
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Exemption Requirements - Section 501(c)(3) Organizations
To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.
Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.
The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.
A
It seems they have violated the requirements and restrictions:
................
Exemption Requirements - Section 501(c)(3) Organizations
To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.
Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.
The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.
A
Of course the truth is that Fox will never notice the pesky mosquitoes on the MM left. (Thanks Sarah) MM was irrelevent before this. Now they are nonexistent.
Someone should play the “Fairness Doctrine” card and see how they like it.
I wouldn’t mind if they pointed out exactly where Fox news reported incorrect news.
If I worked at fox, I would base a show on their findings and explain when they are F.O.S. and when they got it right. Might even make liberals tune in.
Yep, and it’s coming under even more scrutiny now:
“Is Media Matters breaking the law in its ‘war’ on Fox News?”
The Washington Examiner ^ | March 27, 2011 | Mark Tapscott
“...There is nothing in the Politico article to suggest that Brock, who was paid just under $300,000 in 2009, according to the group’s most recently available tax return, plans to ask the IRS to change his organization’s tax status as a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt educational foundation.
Being a C3 puts MM in the non-profit, non-commercial sector, and it also bars the organzation from participating in partisan political activity. This new, more aggressive stance, however, appears to run directly counter to the government’s requirements for maintaining a C3 tax status.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2695775/posts
True but what bothered me about the story is that apparently(if true) some or one Fox employee is responsible for giving them a list of employees.
If I worked for Fox I would be demanding WHO did this and would like their head on a stick.
When O’Really told Zero there were plenty of people at Fox that liked him, I almost threw up.
What does liking Zero have to do with the News. That alone showed the bias of O’Really.
Did Politico buy MM?
bkmk
501(c)(3)’s aren’t supposed to take part in partisan politics are they?
Surely they are a 527 or 528, not a 501c3?
see #15—If MM is a c3, they have to be in huge trouble!
Obama’s brownshirts...what a surprise.
Best bet is to file a RICO against MM.
THE RICO REMEDY: The RICO Act was intended to provide private citizens the ability to initiate court action. RICO was intended to afford citizens a remedy when authorities charged with enforcement are derelict in their duties.
An entity that engages in organized patterns of racketeering for financial gain can be held criminally and civilly liable. For example, a media-centered organization engaged in a "pattern" of racketeering activity that causes financial detriment (such as diminishing ad income).
A RICO conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. §1962(c) might be warranted b/c (1) the organized entity (MM) (2) were associated w/ an entity (3) that engaged in financial crimes and (4) the defendant persons operated or managed the enterprise (5) through a pattern (6) of racketeering activity, and, (7) me4dia outlets were injured in its business or property via a "pattern" of racketeering.
Any entity that engages in a pattern of racketeering activity for financial gain that negatively impacts individuals or businesses can be held both criminally and civilly liable.
We don't need prosecutors or even a private atty. ANYBODY can file a RICO case----even private citizens.......the litigant gets a share of the financial damages, if any.
Other crimes might include: §1341, Mail Fraud, §1027 False statements and concealment of facts in relation to documents required by ERISA; could include civil and/or criminal RICO violations. §§1961-68 (RICO Act)18 U.S.C. §1001 (Making False Statements to Govt Agents), .§1001, Presenting a False Document to govt agents; §1341 (Mail Fraud).
MM may have violated RICO (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) by generating fraudulent documents for the purposes of extortion.
FOR EXAMPLE: (a) Stealing and conveying (or destroying) official records nets 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
(2) Computer Trespass--a class C felony if access is made with the intent to commit a crime and/or the violation involves a computer or database (particularly those maintained by a government agency).
THIS HERE'S A BIGGIE ---- IRS returns reveal income. We need to know “interest income” declared on MM IRS returns. As the CIA says----crooks always leave a paper trail.
Mark Levin spoke about the “criminal front group” Media Matters, March 28, 2011, on the Mark Levin Show:
“I have been using the phrase “criminal front group” to describe this group Media Matters now for many, many years. I have explained in great detail what a 501C3 non-profit, non-partisan charitable organization is under the Internal Revenue Code because I study these things, as does my legal group.
I have also used the phrase “tortuous business interference” for anybody who seeks, including them, to interfere with my program, and so these words [phrases] are getting around now apparently, and these arguments are getting around now, apparently.
When you talk about Media Matters, do as I do, and have done for years. Refer to it as the “criminal front group” Media Matters.
And the reason I call it a “criminal front group” is because it is taking contributions from individuals. Those individuals can deduct them from their own income taxes. Media Matters, being a non-profit charitable organization, does not pay any taxes on it, and yet it basically is a laundering operation that uses tax-exempt money, which people deduct their contributions on their own income taxes from, to amass a huge amount of money-—about $10 million a year-—in order to undertake what are clearly political operations.
And I have been calling on the Internal Revenue Service to audit and investigate the “criminal front group” Media Matters now for several years, and there is absolutely a rock-solid basis to do it.
And if they do it, and I believe one day they may well, they need to make sure they get hold of all emails, all hard drives, all hard paper document communications, and telephone logs because I believe what they will find is a shadowy coordination effort between this organization and, among these organizations this one is the hub, and Democrat operatives, Democrat public officials, and Democrat organizations.
Time has long past for the Internal Revenue Service to do its job.”
Begins at 14min, 25 sec
http://www.marklevinshow.com/sectional.asp?id=32930
Anyone have the guts to ask the IRS why they aren’t investigating Media Matters. Or does it take a formal complaint?
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