EO Tax Journal

1 – Giants Win World Series

3 – Western Conference on Tax-Exempt Organizations Coming Up Continue…

1 – Milton Hershey Must Be Rolling Over in His Grave

If it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny. I know I’m going to Pumpkin World and Jungle Joey’s on my next trip to Pennsylvania. For earlier reports on the Milton Hershey School, see email updates 2010-147 and 2010-149.

2 – What Audits of Colleges and Universities Are Telling Us

We’re continuing to complete transcripts of the recent EO Committee meeting in Toronto. Today I have the panel on colleges and universities. At first  I thought it would be just a rehash of the interim report, but it turned out to be much more interesting than that. 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…

1 – New York Times’ Primer on EO Tax Law

2 – Ofer Goes Where Lions Fear to Tread: Is a Political Contribution a Gift?
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1 – New York Times’ Primer on EO Tax Law

Who would have guessed that the New York Times would devote two articles appearing today in its print edition to explain basic concepts of EO tax law. Of course we know “basic concepts” don’t take you far in EO election tax law, as it’s all facts and circumstances, as Judy Kindell is fond of explaining. The Times’Michael Luo gets it mostly right in his bold attempt to go where no IRS has gone before. I’ve noted in CAPS my comments. Continue…

1 – Old Business

1 – Old Business

In regard to yesterday’s email update, former IRSer Bill Brockner chides me for not pointing out that Senator Durbin is incorrect in his press release in stating that “U.S. tax law requires that the primary purpose of 501(c)(4) organizations … cannot be political….” According to Bill, “There is no primary purpose test for (c)(4)s — including most if not all (c)s aside from (c)(3)s. What we have for (c)(4)s is a primary activity test, which is more quantifiable than a purpose test — if you can figure what and how to quantify.”

In regard to Wednesday’s email update, in which I noted recentPhiladelphia Inquirer articles about the Milton Hershey School, the newspaper has a blistering editorial today:

Inquirer Editorial: Hershey deals leave bad taste Continue…