(Patriot.Buzz) – In a resounding turn of events seeking transparency, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has initiated an investigation into the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for allowing nonprofits to participate in unauthorized political activities.
The IRS’s guidelines on what constitutes excessive lobbying for nonprofits are not explicitly defined and instead rely on a case-by-case assessment that considers the extent of time and resources dedicated to lobbying efforts.
Chairman James Comer revealed the IRS failed to enforce regulations against certain 501(c)(3) nonprofits that were allowed to engage in significant lobbying, which breaks IRS rules.
The committee pointed to One Fair Wage, an organization advocating for higher minimum wages, as an example of a group operating beyond established lobbying boundaries.
The committee’s correspondence suggests One Fair Wage went beyond these bounds and merged its advocacy work with its lobbying activities despite the regulatory limits on such actions for 501(c)(3) organizations.
One Fair Wage’s mission includes promoting legislation and initiatives across 25 states to raise minimum wage levels. Comer’s letter references instances where One Fair Wage explicitly recognized lobbying as a core aspect of its mission.
The IRS has been asked to provide documentation on enforcement actions regarding 501(c)(3) organizations, specifically concerning One Fair Wage. Nonprofits breaching the lobbying restrictions risk losing their tax-exempt status.
Public records reveal One Fair Wage allocated approximately $500,000 dollars to lobbying in 2022 to demand full minimum wage across the board.
Notably tax documents show that left-leaning nonprofits such as the Gates Foundation, Tides Foundation and Windward Fund have funded One Fair Wage. These contributions aim to support initiatives related to equity, human rights, economic empowerment and environmental programs.
The Windward Fund is associated with Arabella Advisors’ liberal “dark money” network known for channeling funds from its 501(c)(3) entities to 501(c)(4) organizations, which have more political freedom.
For example Arabella-managed 501(c)(3) New Venture Fund transferred over $30 million in 2022 to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a 501(c)(4) also under Arabella’s management, which supported political causes and Democratic candidates in recent elections.
