Ellen Aprill's Analysis of the "American Issues Project" (Swift Boat financed) Ad against Obama

[Joanne98]

The anti-progressive Texas billionaire who helped finance the Swift Boat ads misinformation about John Kerry's Vietnam service is at it again, this time financing an ad condemning Obama by association for serving on a board on which William Ayers, long ago of the Weatherman, also serves and for a campaign fundraiser at the Ayers home. Paul Caron's TaxProf Blog has the ad, for those who need to see the attempted swift-boating of Obama.

One of the questions that often arises in connection with these well-funded groups that mount misleading or downright wrong attack ads on progressive candidates is--how do they avoid paying taxes. The group is called the American Issues Project, and it took over the 501(c)(4) status of another right-wing organization (which may or may not have been defunct, and the taking over may or may not have been with the appropriate notice to the IRS). Also posted by Paul Caron, Ellen Aprill has a succinct discussion of 501(c)(4) status and the questions that one might have about the American Issues Project's taking over the 501(c)(4) status of another organization: Background on NonProfit, TaxExempt 501(c)(4) Organizations. Worth reading. In fact, maybe somebody should ask the IRS to do an investigation of this organization. Haven't we all had enough of this smearing by association and innuendo?

September 06, 2008 in Campaign Tax Talk, Tax Exempt Organizations | Permalink

http://ataxingmatter.blogs.com/tax/2008/09/ellen-aprills-analysis-of-the-american-issues-project-swift-boat-financed-ad-against-obama.html