STATE GOVERNMENT
Tax-exempt Freedom Foundation faces AG action over politicking
The following is from the Northwest Accountability Project:
OLYMPIA (April 28, 2017) — Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) recommended Thursday that the Attorney General’s Office take action against the Freedom Foundation for allegedly violating state law.
The complaint, filed by the Northwest Accountability Project, alleged that the Freedom Foundation violated state law by not registering and reporting as a political committee and by failing to report political expenditures opposing Initiative 1, a ballot measure in Olympia that sought to adopt an income tax on high earners to fund college tuition for city residents. These activities are all in violation of the Freedom Foundation’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt IRS status, which prohibits them from engaging in any political activity while receiving the government benefit of tax-exempt status.
“The Northwest Accountability Project is dedicated to shining a light on the organizations and individuals that are seeking to divide our community,” said Peter Starzynski, Executive Director of the Northwest Accountability Project. “We have continuously been disappointed by the Freedom Foundation’s statements and actions against protecting the environment, the welfare of middle-class families, women’s reproductive rights and the LGBT community. These statements and actions simply do not reflect the values of people here in Washington.”
Starzynski continued, “We remain disheartened at the level of unreported political activity that the Freedom Foundation continues to engage despite of repeated admonishments and we are encouraged that today the PDC agreed that the Attorney General’s Office should take action to hold this organization accountable.”
The Attorney General’s office has already filed one lawsuit against the Freedom Foundation for their work on the 2016 election.
The Northwest Accountability Project is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization dedicated to educating the public on the issues that enhance the well-being of middle-class families and workers while shining a light on extremism and the moneyed special interests that attempt to bring an agenda of hate and division to Washington and Oregon. More info at www.nwaccountabilityproject.org
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