EO Tax Journal

Ann Batlle and Marc Owens discussed IRS audits at the recent ALI-ABA conference, and today I have a transcript of their remarks. Last Thursday (Email Update 2010-161) I had the remarks of Peter Lorenzetti on EO audits from the IRS’ perspective. Continue…

Lots of good stuff is piling up on my desk, so I need to catch up over the next few days and my apologies for any delayed responses to incoming emails. Today, because of taping problems, I have abbreviated comments of Peter Lorenzetti, an IRS area manager, who discusses EO examinations. Most of the discussion should be familiar to those of you who are regularly engaged in audits, but he does mention a recent IRS move to a national EO closing agreement coordinator, Lisa Schultz, so that may be new news even for experienced hands. A recent letter from an EO revenue agent to me may add perspective to Peter’s comments. Tomorrow I will be commenting on the state of the EO function, and as homework I recommend, if you have time, reading Pablo Eisenberg’s article, “State and Federal Regulators Must Do More to Police Nonprofits,” that appears in the current issue (Nov. 4) of The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

I’m also including today an article from the Christian Science Monitor, “Advocacy Groups Won’t Get Supreme Court’s Ear on Campaign Finance,” that has been getting attention. If you can stand one more article on campaign finance, it’s recommended reading. Continue…

1 – IRS Needs a Reminder on Its Reminder

4 – Group Seeks Investigation of Voter Guides/Legislative Scorecards Continue…

1 – Old Business

2 – Partial Transcript of D.C. Bar Program on EO Politicking

The transcription process is always a challenge. In the case of a recent D.C. Bar program, I was unable to get a good recording of the remarks of Karl Sandstrom, one of the speakers. Rather than tossing the transcript, I am sending along the remarks of Jim Joseph and Marc Owens. If Karl would like to work on his comments, I would be happy to send him what we have.

With Halloween coming, I am reminded of what happened to one set of tapes I sent my transcriber a few years ago. Apparently her mailperson left the envelope containing the tapes on her door sill. The day being Halloween, trick-or-treaters who came by must have been irritated that she was not home to give them candy, so they ripped the envelope apart and threw the tapes in her bushes. When I told her later that the tapes should have arrived, she looked around and luckily found them intact in the bushes. I guess you could say a tape in the hand is worth two in the bush.

3 – Clergy VOICE’s Letter to IRS re the Fellowship Foundation

Last week I reprinted (Email 2010-148) a Washington Post article, “Sponsor of National Prayer Breakfast Received Money from Alleged Terrorist Group.” Today I’m reprinting the letter that was the basis for the article. Continue…

Come Fall, we’ll have a number of interesting programs coming our way – to be reported on here if you are unable to attend in person. But first, it’s time to wrap up any loose ends from the first half of this year. Today I have our final transcript from the annual Georgetown Law EO program. I won’t say we have saved the best for last, lest I offend those who participated in other sessions, but I can say, for those who weren’t there, it’s been worth the wait, and the discussion is as timely as it was in April.

Current Trends in State Charity Regulation

What follows are the April 23 remarks of Eric Carriker, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General, Cindy Lott, Columbia Law School, New York, and Mark Pacella, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, to attendees at the annual Georgetown Law program on “Representing & Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations.” The moderator of the session is Celia Roady of Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Washington, D.C. Continue…