Press Release: Campaign Finance Watchdog Spearheads Battle Against Anonymous Donations
Applauds IRS Initiative to Enforce Gift Tax of Fraudulent Non-Profits
Announcement Comes Months After Campaign Accountability Watch Sends Letter on Issue to AG Holder
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Campaign Accountability Watch (CAW), a watchdog at the forefront in the battle against secret campaign contributions, today applauded the IRS for announcing it will seek payment of a gift tax of 35% for donations made to non-profit organizations involved in electoral campaigns. CAW called it a good "first step" to reigning in these organizations.
CAW sent a letter on October 25, 2010 to Attorney General Holder seeking a special prosecutor for the misuse of non-profit organizations to hide the source of electoral donations.
The letter specifically highlighted the provision in the law that the IRS is now addressing:
…press reports indicate that these same 501c(4) organizations are not advising their donors that their donations are taxable as a 'federal gift tax' at a rate of 35%, thereby both misleading the donors and depriving the federal government of potentially hundreds of millions in tax revenue.
Join the Campaign!
Join our campaign to hold Karl Rove, Tom Donohue and their friends accountable for corrupting the 2010 election with tens of millions in secret money in violation of federal law. You can help! Sign the letter to the Department of Justice. Sign the petition to Congress. Write a letter to your local US Attorney demanding prosecution. When 5,000 people sign on, we will write and call each of the local US Attorneys too and tell them that thousands of citizens want these violators held accountable now. Let’s stop the abuses of the Citizens United decision by prosecuting the worst violators so 2012 will not be a repeat. We can do it! Tom Delay was prosecuted by a state district prosecutor, and Christine O’Donnell and John Edwards are being investigated by local U.S. Attorneys, all for campaign finance violations. Now it's time for federal prosecutors around the country to empanel grand juries and subpoena documents and witnesses to expose the worst violators of campaign finance laws.
Campaign Finance Violations in the 2010 Election
Contact Your United States Attorney And Demand Prosecution Of American Crossroads, Crossroads GPS, the US Chamber of Commerce, And American Future Fund
We have listed all the states and races below where these four campaign finance violators placed ads or money to support or defeat the named candidates. Locate your state and call or send a letter to your local United States Attorney requesting prosecution of the violating organization. The Chamber funding is in black, American Crossroads in red, Crossroads GPS in green, and American Future Fund in orange. A draft letter for each organization is available below.
US Attorney Letter Re: Chamber of Commerce HERE
US Attorney Letter Re: American Crossroads HERE
US Attorney Letter Re: Crossroads GPS HERE
US Attorney Letter Re: American Future Fund HERE
Politiscoop: Scott Walker Heads South Once Again to Bag Sleazy Corporate Cash
-By Paul I. Tascoupe
April 12, 2012- MADISON—In answer to the perennial question 'Where's Walker?" we've learned our extremist governor has headed South once again to bag sleazy corporate cash — this time to Oklahoma.
Speaking to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, a right-wing group that celebrates cuts to education and has ties to the Heritage Foundation, the Wednesday night champagne dinner Walker attended also included more than 200 protestors who showed up to raise awareness about Walker's harmful, anti-family agenda.
"Scott Walker just can't seem to stay in Wisconsin.
And honestly, I don't blame him," said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate. "The residents here are sick of his job loss platform, his criminal corruption and his disregard for the needs of Wisconsin's working families. Oklahoma suits him well."
Read about Walker's latest out-of-state travels here.
