Tenney wants IRS to investigate non-profits for prohibited political activity

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) calling for an investigation into reports that certain nonprofit organizations may have violated federal law by engaging in prohibited partisan political activity.

Recent reporting revealed that hundreds of 501(c)(3) organizations in New York may have made political contributions or engaged in electioneering despite longstanding federal prohibitions on such activity.

According to the report, more than 1,000 contributions from at least 650 nonprofits totaled over $400,000, with many organizations certifying to the IRS under penalty of perjury that they were not involved in political campaigns.

These actions, if confirmed, would represent a clear violation of federal tax law, which bars tax-exempt charities from supporting or opposing political candidates. In her letter, Rep. Tenney urged the IRS to investigate these allegations and take appropriate enforcement action, including revoking tax-exempt status where warranted.

“As founder and chairwoman of the Election Integrity Caucus, I am deeply troubled by the findings of this report. Federal law is clear that 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities,” Tenney said. “Organizations that violate this prohibition are not only subject to revocation of their tax-exempt status but are also liable for excise taxes on every dollar of those illegal political expenditures. The IRS has both the authority and the obligation to act to protect the integrity of our electoral process and hold 501(c)(3)s to the standards set out under the law. I have referred this matter to the IRS for further investigation and urge the agency to fulfill its enforcement obligations if it finds wrongdoing on the part of any of the 501(c)(3)s implicated.

“The integrity of our elections depends on a level playing field. When tax-exempt organizations, which are subsidized in part by the American taxpayer, pour money into campaigns and endorse candidates, they are corrupting the democratic process.”

Click here to see the full letter.