Group Demand IRS Audit ALEC

The non-partisan open government group Common Cause filed an IRS complaint accusing ALEC of falsely claiming tax-exempt status while doing widespread lobbying in violation of federal tax law. The complaint asks the IRS to audit ALEC’s work, for the agency to levy fines against ALEC and require the payment of back taxes for the time the group has been in violation of their tax exempt status.

Common Cause said its complaint was based on more than 4,000 pages of ALEC records, including talking points that ALEC workers provided to lawmakers in order to better argue on behalf of the legislation the group develops.

ALEC insists it is not a lobbying group, but Common Cause sees it differently. “It tells the IRS in its tax returns that it does no lobbying, yet it exists to pass profit-driven legislation in statehouses all over the country that benefits its corporate members,” said Bob Edgar, president of Common Cause, in a statement. “ALEC is not entitled to abuse its charitable tax status to lobby for private corporate interests, and stick the bill to the American taxpayer.”

It’s the latest in a series of attacks at the conservative group known for promoting “stand your ground” gun laws, voter ID legislation, union busting bills, anti-immigrant “papers please” legislation and the creation of anti-democratic “emergency managers” like in Michigan. ALEC promotes those measures through legislative task forces.

With all the attention several corporate sponsors have dropped their affiliation with ALEC and the group swears it is done promoting bills not directly tied to it’s free-market mission. But given the public relations efforts ALEC is currently employing to try and make itself out as the victim of a vicious smear campaign from the left there’s little reason to believe ALEC is seriously looking to end its lobbying efforts.

ALEC Backs Away From Stand Your Ground, But Is It Enough?

10 Companies And Counting: The Exodus From ALEC

Photo from mrbill via flickr.

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Carmen n.

3:06PM PDT on Apr 25, 2012

JulietD: Oh, fear not, they still engage in tons of auditing.... just not auditing those who need to be audited, such as corporations etc... my son, a laborer, has been audited TWICE in the last ten years.

April 25
send a green star

Linda T.

5:27PM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

Look ALEC was just doing the work of the Heritage Foundation and other Republican think tanks that actually write the laws. It's time to go after the think tanks for their crimes against the people. ALEC is just the tail of the beast.

April 24
send a green star

Frances C.

4:42PM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

If anyone or anything needs to be investigated it is ALEC.

Ken W.

3:19PM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

This is the crap that must be STOPED !!!

Michael M.

12:11PM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

Hope they can be gotten to.

Kimberlee W.

9:44AM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

Sh*T, these are the people who have WRITTEN our current tax laws. If they couldn't get Clarence Thomas to pay back taxes on his wife's 6-figure income, how do you think you're going to get these bastards to pay?

Good idea, but I've really lost hope against these assh*les.

Juliet D.

6:14AM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

A great idea. However, GOP congresses have reduced funding for the IRS so much over the years, that they hardly have the manpower to investigate anything. Audits used to be fairly common back in the 50s and 60s. When's the last time you've ever heard of anyone being audited?

john c.

6:11AM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

Another "Secret Weapon" of the GOP and their donators.
' WE THE PEOPLE" should start acting as concerned citizens. If a party or a
politician lies, ie; such as the Republican Party did in 2012 (running on the
promise of more jobs) and not producing anything but disdain for the
average citizen. Then the first time they propose or pass legislation which is
not in the interest of all citizens, we as citizens propose recall of that
politician and eventually do not re-elect them, no matter what party.
Reality, overcomes ideology, when all peoples rights are trampled on and we
no longer have a middle class. So use your God given brain when you vote.

Ellen L.

5:32AM PDT on Apr 24, 2012

I want to know the names of the people financially supporting candidtaes. Fine ALEC and dismantle them.

Tierney G.

10:37AM PDT on Apr 23, 2012

While they are at it they should also audit the catholic church. the Bishops have been lobbying for years!
Get them all the greedy control freak thieves.