FEC "independent expenditure" reports filed by 501(c)(4) nonprofit Center for US Voters Abroad for its voter registration efforts
Why is a "nonprofit" filing FEC reports about its partisan activities?
Nonprofits file “990” tax returns with the IRS revealing details of spending, often delayed a year or more after the money was spent.
Federal candidates and Political Action Committees (PAC) file receipts and expenditures reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) regularly — especially before federal elections.
So how and why is a 501(c)(4) “nonprofit” filing FEC reports as “any other person” to support Joe Biden and oppose Donald Trump for US President?
We should have great concern about US voting abroad when only progressive partisans are the ones involved with the Center for US Voters Abroad.
This second article will expose the express advocacy spending by the 501(c)(4) The Act Now Project doing business as Center for US Voters Abroad as an FEC “any other person” to “support” Joe Biden (now Kamala Harris) and “oppose” Donald Trump for US President in their voter registration efforts.
The first article about the Center for US Voters Abroad Turnout Project, focused on two related IRS nonprofits, and their significant connections to “dark money” and progressive organizations through their Advisory Board.
The final article will show known examples of a mailing and some Internet ads used by the Center for US Voters Abroad nonprofit organizations for voter registration and their get-out-the-vote efforts
The Center for US Voters Abroad spent more than $50,000 in late 2023 and the first half of 2024 on online ads to register US voters abroad.
How is it possible for a nonpartisan “nonprofit” to spend money on express advocacy and file reports with the Federal Election Commission?
Here’s a brief summary of all the names of “nonprofits”:
Independent election expenditures by nonprofit?
We welcome readers’ comments to explain how and why a nonprofit is allowed to make independent election expenditures for express advocacy.
Perhaps these FEC reports are a quirk of laws about nonprofits being involved in our presidential primary process?
But a true nonpartisan, nonprofit would spend equal amounts over similar periods of time, especially in the primary season.
An FEC web page gives some background about the mechanics of a “Form 5” filing of expenditures by “any other person.”
Individuals, groups, corporations and labor organizations (not political committees) must file a report with the Commission on Form 5 at the end of the first quarterly reporting period in which independent expenditures with respect to a given election aggregate more than $250 in a calendar year, and in any succeeding quarterly reporting period during the same year in which additional independent expenditures of any amount are made.
Apparently, “The Act Now Project” doing business as the “Center for US Voters Abroad” was not required to file an FEC “Statement of Organization” since its existence was documented in its 501(c)(4) determination letter from July 26, 2024.
The FEC assigned “The Act Now Project (dba The Center for US Voters Abroad)” a special FEC ID Number, C90022112.
It’s not a “political committee” but the FEC assigns a committee designation and committee type [“individual or group who makes independent expenditures (not a committee)] as shown online.
FEC Reports
The Act Now Project filed several FEC reports in 2024 for activity in 2023.
This first “FEC Form 5” report from late 2023 showed spending on ads to promote voter registration by US voters living abroad.
The Act Now Project FEC filings show expenditures for “digital ads encouraging US citizens living abroad to register to vote” but then says they’re spending money supporting Joe Biden and opposing Donald Trump in registering voters.
How does voter registration become partisan?
Summary of FEC reports by nonprofit
Combining the final 2023 report with the two 2024 quarterly reports, The Act Now Project spent $17,818 supporting Joe Biden and $36,845 against Donald Trump in digital online ads.
Why is it possible for a “nonprofit” to hide donors through its IRS 990 reporting, but then file FEC reports for its partisan activity without disclosing anything about where the money came from?
Make it make sense.
The final article in this series will show known examples of a mailing and some Internet ads used by the Center for US Voters Abroad nonprofit organizations for voter registration and their get-out-the-vote efforts.
Related
Could voters abroad hold all the cards?, Shia Kapos, Politico, Sept. 21, 2024.
Sounds illegal to me.