Using the IRS to Suppress Free Speech

urbancure.org

Star Parker is the founder and president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, a 501(c)(3) non-profit think tank which promotes market based public policy to fight poverty.

February 7, 2014|6:58 pm

The latest round of the IRS scandal, in which Tea Party and conservative groups have been selectively targeted for harassment by our tax collection agency, is now unfolding. This comes in the form of proposed new rules from the IRS regarding the operation of organizations falling under the 501c4 provision of the tax code.

These are organizations whose purpose is to promote "social welfare" and therefore their income is tax-free.

Because promoting a cause or agenda in our free and democratic country cannot be isolated from political activity associated with that agenda, such activity is permitted by 501c4 organizations, as long as politics does not become its main purpose.

These are the rules of the game that have existed since 1959.

But now the IRS wants to change the game.

The new rules they propose expand the definition of "candidate related activity" so broadly to include voter education campaigns and grass roots lobbying campaigns and to forbid even the mention of a candidate in any context 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election that it will make it impossible for these organizations to function.

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Using the IRS to Suppress Free Speech