Partner Alexander Reid is quoted in a Sept. 6 Bloomberg Law article titled “GOP Concerns About Tax-Exempt Groups May Prompt Probes, Guidance.” According to the article, some lawmakers want to investigate IRS rules about social welfare groups’ political activities.
In 2015, Congress banned the IRS from issuing guidance about the political actions of 501(c)(4) organizations because many lawmakers believed the IRS was treating conservative groups unfairly. Today, some Republican leaders say “reports about alleged foreign funds flowing through the organizations to influence elections” should be addressed, according to the article.
Reid told Bloomberg Law that the IRS has faced hurdles in enforcing existing law about the political activities of social welfare groups because doing so “always creates a perception of fairness or unfairness,” depending on which side you’re on. Still, ending the ban would allow the IRS to issue long-awaited guidance on the political activities of 501(c)(4)s, he said.
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