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Citing instances where groups like Citizens Against Government Waste [9] and Americans for Tax Reform [10] have accepted corporate funding to lobby for their donors' causes, journalist Bill Adair explores whether greater disclosure by non-profit groups is warranted. Between them, the two groups have taken money from the tobacco industry [11], helped avocado growers and assisted in Jack Abramoff [12]'s lobbying efforts. The incoming Democratic Party chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus [13], has flagged the need for change: "Nonprofits should not function as de facto lobbying firms." Current federal laws he said are "simply too murky." Frances Hill, a law professor at the University of Miami, agrees. "It seems to me we have to find a way to increase the disclosure of the contributors. I'm not talking about every church in America disclosing who gives money to their collection plate. But there's got to be a way to show who gives big chunks of money," she said.
Links:
[1] http://dev.prwatch.org/users/7/bob-burton
[2] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/activism
[3] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/public-relations/third-party-technique
[4] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/us-government/us-congress
[5] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/corporations
[6] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/lobbying
[7] http://dev.prwatch.org/topics/secrecy
[8] http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdev.prwatch.org%2Fspin%2F2006%2F12%2F5543%2Ffront-groups-lobbying-spurs-thoughts-non-profit-reform&linkname=Front%20Groups%20Lobbying%20Spurs%20Thoughts%20of%20Non-Profit%20Reform
[9] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Citizens_Against_Government_Waste
[10] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Americans_for_Tax_Reform
[11] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/tobacco_industry
[12] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jack_Abramoff
[13] http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Max_Baucus
[14] http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/11/Worldandnation/Groups_hide_behind_ta.shtml