Sunday, June 28, 2020

BLM Co-Founder Appears To Violate IRS Laws On CNN

A co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network weighed in on the 2020 election, in an apparent violation of Internal Revenue Service laws prohibiting 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in campaign activity.

Patrisse Cullors, in her official capacity as a co-founder of the BLM Global Network, told CNN on June 19 that "Our goal is to get Trump out."

The prohibition includes "Public statements of position made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office." Organizations that violate this policy may lose their tax-exempt status.

The BLM Global Network is not individually registered as a 501(c)(3), but instead operates through a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the nonprofit organization Thousand Currents.

An organization sponsored by a 501(c)(3) is still required to comply with the regulations governing nonprofits, and is still prohibited from making partisan political statements.

Cleta Mitchell, an expert on campaign finance regulation and tax laws governing charitable organizations such as BLM, told The Federalist that partisan political activity by tax-exempt 501(c)(3) groups is "Completely prohibited" by federal tax law.

BLM "Must comply with all the rules that govern 501(c)(3) organizations," Mitchell said.

No comments: