Press Release: Minnesota Voters Alliance Files IRS Complaint Against League of Women Voters
The Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA) has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) asking it to review the appropriateness of the tax exempt status of the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF).
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) September 17, 2010
The Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA) has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) asking the IRS to review the appropriateness of the tax exempt status of the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF). The complaint is based on the MVA's just-completed review of the IRS Form 990 tax returns filed by the League of Women Voters United States (LWVUS) and by the LWVEF, as well as other public documents.
The MVA is hopeful that the IRS will look into the matter quickly because it is important for thousands of other charitable organizations to know precisely what is allowed and what is not.
The MVA is also concerned about "the League's" involvement in conducting debates and distributing voter guides during this critical election season. Specifically, the MVA calls on the "League of Women Voters" to make clear to the public and the candidates that "the League" is a lobbying organization and to disclose widely, during the run up to each debate it organizes, what issues it lobbies for and which side it takes on the major political issues of the day. Further, the MVA seeks clarification of the allowable activities of lobbying organizations with tax exempt status such as the "League of Women Voters" and their acceptance of tax deductible donations under the same brand.
The parent organization, the League of Women Voters United States is, foremost, a lobbying organization, and "the League" is not neutral on the issues facing a divided electorate. "How can the League play a neutral role in a debate," Andy Cilek, President of the Minnesota Voters Alliance asks, "when it may be, at the same time, lobbying the incumbent on legislative issues like government-funded health care, higher taxes, or photo identification voting requirements, to name just a few of the many areas in which the League lobbies?"
To view the full IRS Complaint, click here (http://www. mnvoters. org/images/docs/lwv_complaint. pdf)
About the Minnesota Voters Alliance (MVA)
The Minnesota Voters Alliance, a 501(c)4 tax-exempt organization, is a grassroots citizens group whose primary purpose is empowering voters and protecting their rights. Current projects of the Alliance include conducting ballot initiatives for a voter photo identification requirement, lobbying and suing to preserve the one-person-one-vote principal, and working to protect the public's right to elect judges.
Media Contact: Andy Cilek or Bill Reichert
Phone: 763.432.3213
Email: info(at)mnvoters(dot)org
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