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Topic: 527 group

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527 organization

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

Federal Election Campaign Act

Political campaign

Hard money (politics)

Soft money

Joint Victory Campaign

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America Coming Together

Negative campaigning

Opposition research

Campaign finance

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Sierra Club

Get out the vote

	527s: Types of Advocacy Groups
		501(c)(4) groups are commonly called “social welfare” organizations that may engage in political activities, as long as these activities do not become their primary purpose.
		Currently, the FEC only requires a 527 group to file regular disclosure reports if it is a political party or political action committee (PAC) that engages in either activities expressly advocating the election or defeat of a federal candidate, or in electioneering communications.
		Many 527s run by special interest groups raise unlimited "soft money," which they use for voter mobilization and certain types of issue advocacy, but not for efforts that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a federal candidate or amount to electioneering communications.
	www.opensecrets.org /527s/types.asp (488 words)

	Silent Partners - The Center for Public Integrity
		A 527 is a non-profit organization formed under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which grants tax-exempt status to political committees at the national, state and local level.
		These groups are the result of a loophole which was opened more than 25 years ago when the IRS broadened its definition of the types of groups eligible for tax-exempt, non-profit status as political committees.
		All 527 groups have to register with the IRS and have to file "periodic" reports of contributions and expenditures.
	www.publicintegrity.org /527/default.aspx?act=faq (916 words)

	527 Group - dKosopedia
		A 527 group, or 527s are tax-exempt, special interest organizations named after a section of the United States tax code.
		Because 527 organizations are not regulated by the Federal Elections Commission, they may not make expenditures to directly advocate the election or defeat of any candidate for federal elective office.
		GOP attorney and legal advicsor to the Bush camapign Benjamin Ginsberg, who was also a member of the group claimed that it was not uncommon or illegal for lawyers to represent campaigns or political parties while also representing 527 groups.
	www.dkosopedia.com /wiki/527_Group (620 words)

	527 group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		Although candidate committees and political action committees are also created under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, the term is generally used to refer to political organizations which are not regulated by the Federal Election Commission or a state elections commission and not subject to the same contribution limits as PACs.
		Under federal election law, coordination between an election campaign and a 527 group is not allowed.
		The heavy spending of key 527 groups to attack presidential candidates brought complaints to the Federal Elections Commission of illegal coordination between the groups and rival political campaigns.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/527_group (606 words)

	Anti-Santorum political group raises funds (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-05)
		A group of Pennsylvania political operatives formed The Lantern Project last year as a tax-exempt organization known as a 527 group, and IRS filings say the group's purpose is to educate the public on issues in the 2006 elections.
		The fact that the Philadelphia-based group raised $328,750 before the end of last year -- 11 months before the election -- is an early sign of the prominent role 527 groups are likely to play in the next election cycle.
		The groups, which get their name from Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code and are not subject to limits that are placed on donations to campaigns, raised millions of dollars to influence the 2004 presidential elections.
	www.post-gazette.com /pg/06069/668123.stm (781 words)

	AP Wire \| 09/03/2006 \| Ruling on 527 group only latest in fight over corporate donations (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-05)
		The 527 organizations, named after the section of the federal tax code in which they are regulated, are tax-exempt groups that can raise unlimited money for political activities such as get-out-the-vote efforts and issue advertising.
		The role of 527 donations first became an issue in the 2004 state elections, when a group called the North Carolina Republican Main Street Committee used corporate dollars to run ads praising Morgan and other Republicans involved in a power-sharing agreement with Democratic Speaker Jim Black.
		Morgan complained to the State Board of Elections in April, saying the group was using corporate funds to advocate expressly for the defeat of candidates.
	www.charlotte.com /mld/observer/news/local/15435247.htm (938 words)

	The White House's 527 Group, Armed and Ready
		The group, which is likely to play a leading role in support of Judge Alito, expects to spend at least $2 million on several waves of television advertisements as he heads into Senate confirmation hearings, Mr.
		Though the group describes itself as an independent grass-roots organization, it receives millions of dollars from the president's largest fund-raisers, is run by former Bush campaign aides and draws heavy support from a Republican lobbying and consulting firm in Washington.
		The group's campaign arm, the Progress for America Voter Fund, is one of the so-called 527 committees, which spent tens of millions of dollars on both sides to influence last year's elections.
	www.truthout.org /docs_2005/printer_111405K.shtml (1486 words)

	loophole527 (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-05)
		Section 527 has become the loophole of choice this year for groups large and small, left and right, to spread their messages without revealing the sources of their income or the objects of their spending.
		As long as a Section 527 group does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of individual candidates -- by using the words "vote for" or "vote against" -- there is no requirement to report to the Federal Election Commission.
		He added that many groups were eager to flex their political muscle beyond what was permissible under their tax-exempt status without opening themselves up to a requirement to report their activities to the election commission.
	menic.utexas.edu /~bennett/__310/loophole527.htm (1680 words)

	Governing: 527s/June 2006
		The influx of 527 money in 2004 contributed to one of the most brutal and expensive elections West Virginia had ever seen, one in which the actual candidates were merely bit players.
		Because it’s so easy for national 527 groups to adapt to the state level — and because new 527s can spring up literally overnight — predicting where and when these groups might appear in a state election can be extremely difficult.
		Groups that want to maintain a visible presence until the presidential primaries begin are focusing on states that will be important in 2008.
	governing.com /articles/5527.htm (1796 words)

	Silent Partners - The Center for Public Integrity
		At least one 527 group figured prominently in a campaign earlier this year on behalf of a federal court nominee being considered by the U.S. Senate.
		Some 527 committee contributions to national party committees have been disclosed by the national parties on their Federal Election Commission forms, but the Center's study is the first to detail not only the source of 527 committee funds but also where that money has gone.
		If that provision is upheld, 527 committees would be left with several choices: they could continue to air broadcast ads up to the pre-election period or pay for new ads that do not mention a specific candidate but espouse general positions.
	www.publicintegrity.org /527/report.aspx?aid=7 (4619 words)

	The "527" fuss explained Campaigns & Elections - Find Articles
		Section 527 is actually the section of the Internal Revenue code that allows all partisan political organizations to take contributions without paying taxes on them, to the extent the money is used on political purposes.
		It forbids party officials and staff from raising funds for 527 groups, and limits the ability of federal candidates and their campaigns to raise such funds.
		Secondly, the electioneering provisions of BCRA prohibit 527 groups from using corporate or labor union contributions to run broadcast (including radio) or cable ads mentioning a federal candidate within 30 days of a primary or convention, or within 60 days of a general election in which that candidate is running.
	www.findarticles.com /p/articles/mi_m2519/is_7_25/ai_n6240739 (787 words)

	Votelaw
		Groups such as Swift Boat Veterans for Truth on the right and America Coming Together on the left contributed $600 million that year, with a heavy focus on the presidential race.
		Mike Brown, the group’s executive director, said it would be a 527 organization under tax laws, meaning that it could be involved in electoral politics, and that contributions to the group would not be tax deductible.
		The group is looking at the Senate race in Virginia between George Allen, the incumbent Republican, and James Webb, a Democrat; a stem cell ballot issue in Missouri; the question of intelligent design in Ohio; and Congressional races in Washington State, Mr.
	www.votelaw.com /blog/archives/campaign_finance/527_groups (1459 words)

	[No title]
		A number of 527 groups did not register as federal political committees and spent soft money on ads attacking and promoting federal candidates.
		Under this requirement, 527 groups registered as political committees and subject to federal campaign finance laws can use only federal hard money contributions to finance ads that promote or attack federal candidates, regardless of whether the ads expressly advocate the election or defeat of the candidate.
		Any 527 group with annual receipts of less than $25,000 is exempt from the requirement to register as a political committee and comply with federal campaign finance laws.
	www.house.gov /shays/news/2006/april/527REFORMACTSUMMARY.doc (168 words)

	Democrats master art of 527s but GOP rallies - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - August 26, 2004 (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-05)
		The group, one of many 527s that have flourished since Congress barred political parties from using unlimited contributions, or "soft money," from unions, corporations and individuals, now has $35 million in pledges and deposits, and is to start its second anti-Kerry ad buy in Iowa and Wisconsin today.
		The tax-exempt 527 groups, which take their name from the section of the tax code that governs them, are not regulated by the FEC unless they have a political action committee, creating the "soft" money loophole.
		The groups would fall under FEC regulation if it is proven that their major purpose is the election or defeat of a federal candidate or that they expressly advocate the election or defeat of a federal candidate.
	washingtontimes.com /national/20040826-122123-6099r.htm (991 words)

	Bush campaign moves to bar '527' groups: SouthFlorida.com
		The president's campaign lawyers said organizations known as "527 groups" should be reined in.
		The work of the 527 groups has become one of the most hotly debated aspects of the presidential campaign season given their effects on the race.
		Earlier this week, members of the group offered to withdraw the ads if Kerry made public a variety of wartime records and if he apologized to veterans for alleging that atrocities were widespread in Vietnam.
	www.southflorida.com /movies/chi-040901attackgroups,0,7322845.story (540 words)

	Liberal Dem Leadership Caught lying Again - They Lead Pack In Political Money Scam! (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-05)
		527 groups get their name from the section of the IRS code that governs them and can accept unlimited amounts of "soft money" directly from corporations, unions and individuals.
		November 5 is quickly approaching and 527 groups are using a variety of tactics as they prepare to influence the elections.
		But other 527 groups take their message to the voters more directly by funding issue ads or building infrastructure for the campaign’s homestretch.
	www.freerepublic.com /focus/news/740501/posts (1974 words)

	The Campaign Legal Center: FEC Commission Proceedings
		The spending by the stealth 527 occurred in 2000, prior to this year's onslaught of 527 groups seeking to influence federal elections with their ads, but similarly claiming they are not subject to the federal election laws.
		The proposal would have required Section 527 groups (except for those exclusively focused on state elections, state ballot measure campaigns, or nominations to non-elective offices) to register with the FEC as federal political committees if they spend more than $1,000 on "expenditures" for the purpose of influencing federal elections.
		At the same time, the reform groups criticized the draft for failing to treat ABC in its entirety as a federal political committee limited to raising and spending hard money - noting that the organization's overriding purpose is to influence the election or defeat of particular federal candidates.
	www.campaignlegalcenter.org /FEC-129.html (5126 words)

	FOXNews.com - New 527 Group Releases Anti-Kerry Ad - You Decide 2004
		One of the conservative group's ads criticizes Kerry for his actions when he was a private lawyer with a criminal defense practice.
		But groups are exempt from this ban if they use only donations from individuals and do not receive support from corporations or unions.
		However, some critics contend that all outside groups should be covered by the law and blame an incorrect interpretation by the Federal Election Commission for creating a loophole.
	www.foxnews.com /story/0,2933,131443,00.html (531 words)

	Outside '527' groups wield huge clout - Tom Curry - MSNBC.com
		The 527 groups existed four years ago, and in fact, one of them, "Citizens for Clean Air," funded by the Wyly brothers of Texas, ran ads criticizing Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during the 2000 California Republican primary.
		This year, the 527 groups have taken on a more prominent role, and perhaps a decisive one. So far, the groups have spent a total of more than $200 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
		The objective of the reformers was to stop the influence of big contributions and their impact on elections and access to officeholders, but instead, what we have is no accountability of the groups, no leveling influence that the political parties bring.
	www.msnbc.msn.com /id/5747838 (1497 words)

	The Neil Rogers Show - News - Kerry files FEC complaint against swift boat group - Accuses 527 of illegally working ...
		The RNC charged that the groups violated campaign finance reform law by illegally raising what is known as "soft money." The complaint said the 527 groups were coordinating advertising efforts with the Kerry campaign and the Democratic Party.
		The complaint cites "journalistic research discrediting" the group's allegations and states that a member of the group's steering committee "admitted" on television that the group's intent was to defeat Kerry.
		The group has no direct connection to the Bush campaign, and group members said they have acted independently of the president's re-election effort.
	news.neilrogers.com /news/articles/2004082116.html (850 words)

	June 8, 2000
		As long as a Section 527 group does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of individual candidates--by using the words ``vote for'' or ``vote against''--there is no requirement to report to the Federal Election Commission.
		The group is among the latest entrants in a growing field of independent campaign expenditure efforts, spurred on by recent court rulings interpreting the tax law.
		Section 527 of the tax code permits political committees to raise and spend unlimited funds without having to disclose their contributors, provided that those funds are not used to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate.
	feingold.senate.gov /~feingold/speeches/senfloor/060800speech.html (4952 words)

	Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center... (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-05)
		Despite these requirements, 527 groups have improperly spent large amounts of soft money to influence the 2004 presidential elections and are now improperly spending millions of dollars of soft money to influence the 2006 congressional elections, the complaint states.
		The complaint against the sixth 527 group was dismissed by the FEC this year on the ground that the group ended up not running any ads.
		The contributions to the group include $500,000 from Adam Rove, $170,000 from George Soros, $100,000 from John Hunting, $100,000 from Linda Pritzger, $150,000 from SEIU entities and $50,000 from the American Federation of Teachers.
	releases.usnewswire.com /GetRelease.asp?id=74208 (1142 words)

	The Campaign Legal Center: Press Release: McCain, Feingold to Support "527 Group" Lawsuit
		Gerald Hebert, Director of Litigation for the Campaign Legal Center, noted that "the IRS laws define 527's as groups organized and operated primarily for the purpose of influencing or attempting to influence elections." He added: "Despite this clearly stated purpose of influencing elections, the FEC has repeatedly refused to designate 527's as political committees."
		The Campaign Legal Center, along with other reform groups, has filed a number of FEC complaints against both Republican- and Democratic-leaning 527 groups seeking to have their soft-money actions deemed illegal by the agency.
		The suit filed in federal district court in Washington today argues that the FEC's repeated refusal to promulgate regulations for 527 groups is arbitrary and capricious, and therefore illegal under the Administrative Procedures Act.
	www.campaignlegalcenter.org /press-1299.html (481 words)

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