NAACP is getting a tax-free ride -

Jewish World Review ^ | July 16, 2003 / 16 Tamuz, 5763 | Joe Scarborough

[UnklGene]

Jewish World Review July 15, 2003 / 15 Tamuz, 5763 Joe Scarborough

NAACP is getting a tax-free ride

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | The NAACP convention grabbed headlines over the weekend, and once again that organization thumbed its nose at federal law, while playing the role of partisan hack to the Democratic Party's extreme left wing.

Name the last Republican president the NAACP supported. You can't? Well then name the last Republican senator or congressman endorsed by the organization. No names come to mind? What about the last time the NAACP got behind a Republican governor. Oh wait, they've never done that either. And yet, the NAACP continues to get a free ride off of taxpayers because of the tax-exempt status conferred to them by the federal government.

This despite the fact that the NAACP produced and ran the most vicious campaign attack ad in the history of televised presidential campaigns. Who could forget the politically crude hit piece by the NAACP that accused George W. Bush of being responsible for the barbaric murder of a Texas man who was dragged to his bloody death by a pick-up truck?

The ad made the infamous Willie Horton spot look like Hollywood squares. And yet, the Feds continue to give the NAACP a free pass, despite yanking the Christian Coalition's tax-exempt status for their partisan nature.

The last time I checked, the Christian Coalition was passing out voter guides to church-going Americans. They certainly never ran an ad with the vitriol contained in the NAACP's anti-Bush slur. Unfortunately, this weekend showed that the organization continues its myopic view of American politics: Democrats are good, Republicans are bad.

The NAACP should be about little more than beating Republicans.

In the words of their chairman, Julian Bond, "If we all vote together, the no show national guardsman in the White House and his draft-dodging vice president will lose by 3 million votes."

How's that for a non-partisan speech?

As Americans, NAACP members are free to speak their mind anytime, day or night. But they shouldn't be getting a tax-free ride on the backs of hardworking Americans who don't get such preferential treatment. President Bush and members of congress should have the guts to yank the tax-exempt status away from these left-wing activists. And while they're at it, take away the tax-exempt status of any right-wing activists who thumb their noses at the law as brazenly as the NAACP.

It's a double standard and you're paying for it. And the president needs to stop it.

[gdani]

NAACP is probably organized as both a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4) -- technically two separate non-profit organizations but set up so that one of them -- the 501(c)(4) -- can do more politicking(sp?) than a typical non-profit advocacy group.

I believe the Christian Coalition was strictly a 501(c)(3) organization when it was busted. I also think they switched their base of operations to a Texas affiliate that was registered as a 501(c)(4).

Lastly, I do remember there being Repubs who have addressed the NAACP in the past (not that they're going to get any of the members' votes but......)

[Support Free Republic]

50,000 people go to a baseball game, but the game was rained out. A refund is then due. The team is about to mail refunds when the Congressional Democrats stopps them and decrees that they send out refund amounts based on the Democrat National Committee's interpretation of fairness. After all,if the refunds are made based on the price each person paid for the tickets, most of the money would go to the wealthiest ticket holders. That would be unconscionable!

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[gdani]

I should also mention that setting up two legally separate -- but totally intertwined -- organizations in this way is something that almost all large advocacy organizations do - from the ACLU to the NRA and many/most other Wash DC groups.

In the public's mind, the two orgs are indistinguishable (which is totally understandable).

Of course, I may be wrong -- the NAACP may only be one org, they may have violated laws, etc in this case but I would be very surprised if that were the case. This stuff is pretty much "non-profit 101" for board members, senior staff, the org's general counsel, etc.

[GeorgeWBiscuit]

Actually, the NRA is NOT a 501(C)3 organization. It plays fair, and not a dime given to it can be deducted. The NRA makes no false pretenses as to what it is and what its aims are. As for most of its left-wing rivals, they play dirty pool and get away with it. If any of them were even questioned, the liberal press would have a field day over the abuse of power in a purely political way by the IRS.

[VikingFan]

Should the NAACP be defined as a political action commitee, they could be liable for massive fines for not filing with state and federal board of elections.

[gdani]

Actually, the NRA is NOT a 501(C)3 organization....

From the NRA website:

Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc. ("NRA Foundation") is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that raises tax-deductible contributions in support of a wide range of firearm-related public interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations that defend and foster the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans.

[gdani]

The Foundation & the NRA being two separate legal entities i.e. slightly different way of going about it but same basic result.

[vannrox]

It's a double standard and you're paying for it.
And the president needs to stop it.

[vannrox]

It's a double standard and you're paying for it.
And the president needs to stop it.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[GeorgeWBiscuit]

Contributions, gifts or membership dues made or paid to the National Rifle Association of America are not refundable or transferable and are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.