Is the Brady Campaign qualified to use the nonprofit mail rate?

[friendly_iconoclast]

If so, would not the NRA also be so qualified?

Which would be quite funny indeed, as the NRA has a much higher volume of mail...

I ask this because the latest begging letter I got from the BCtPGV has a nonprofit.org stamp.

[WatsonT]

1. Definitely not

they are as political as you can get.

[friendly_iconoclast]

2. The Bradys are commtting mail fraud? I'm shocked, SHOCKED to hear that.

Well, no, not really...

[friendly_iconoclast]

9. Turns out they *are* defrauding the USPS. See my post #8 n/t

[slackmaster]

3. The core NRA organization operates as a non-profit under 501(c)(4)

The NRA Institute for Legislative Action is a registered lobbying entity, and donations to it are not tax-deductible.

[friendly_iconoclast]

8. The letter enclosed was most certainly looking for money to lobby with.

Paul Helmke (or his ghostwriter) says:

...Right now there's that will ban these deadly assault clips and prevent more tragedies in communities

across America. But H.R. 308 is not going to pass unless we create a massive groundswell of support in Congressional districts

across the country.

You can help by rushing a generous gift to the Brady Campaign right away. I'll put your gift to work

immediately...

(Note: Emphasis in original)


Now, here's the cincher, from the insert you are supposed to enclose with a check:

...Because we devote 100% of our efforts to passing sensible gun laws, contributions to the Brady Campaign

are not tax deductible as charitable contributions or business expenses.

Yet they claim to be a nonprofit to the USPS so as to mail the stuff you just read at a reduced rate...


I wonder if the NRA or the SAF (or the Postal Service, for that matter) would be interested in this?

Anybody know how I might get I touch with them?

[X_Digger]

10. Non-profit != tax exempt charity

Non-profit just means that you have no shareholders.

In some states it's called a 'non-stock corporation'.

Non-profit's can make profit, and pay exorbitant salaries. What they don't do is dividends, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonprofit_organization

[friendly_iconoclast]

11. Ah, IC. Does the NRA use the non-profit rate to mail stuff?

[slackmaster]

12. Only membership-related materials, including invitations to join which I receive frequently

The solicitations for political donations always come from NRA/ILA.

[X_Digger]

13. I don't have an NRA-ILA bit of mail handy.

Regular NRA mailings (the magazine, letters) do not use the NP postal code, though. I'm not sure about membership stuff.

I do know that the 'NRA Foundation' (est 1990) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt charitable organization. I would assume that mailings from that organ would carry the NP Postal code.

eta: 501(c)(3) that is, not 503(c)

[benddem]

4. the NRA

can hardly be considered a non=profit.

[slackmaster]

5. It's two separate business entities operating under different tax statuses - See my reply above

:hi:

[jpak]

6. Yup and Nope

yup

[Tuesday Afternoon]

7. you love that single edged sword, don't you?

sheesh.

[Euromutt]

14. Single edged?

From where I'm sitting, it looks suspiciously like a blunt instrument.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. well, one thing for sure, jpak would only wield it one way, whatever the

instrument.

[spin]

16. Yup, backward. (n/t)