The Idaho Republican Party has put out a news release saying it plans to file a complaint with the IRS against Keith Allred for the Dec. 10 letter he emailed out to members of his citizen advocacy group, The Common Interest, informing them that he was going to run for governor as a Democrat. Jonathan Parker, party executive director, said the letter was partisan campaign activity inappropriate for a nonprofit, and accused Allred of trying to "exploit the non-profit tax-exempt status of The Common Interest to further his own personal and partisan agenda." Click below to read the full Idaho GOP news release. Allred campaign spokeswoman Jean McNeil said any response will have to come from The Common Interest rather than the campaign.

Idaho Republican News
FOR RELEASE:                                                                                                                                                                                                                          CONTACT: JONATHAN PARKER

December 16, 2009                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

IDAHO GOP TO FILE COMPLAINT WITH IRS AGAINST KEITH ALLRED AND THE COMMON INTEREST

 Boise, ID – The Idaho Republican Party will file an official complaint with the IRS in response to a correspondence sent out on December 10th to members of The Common Interest in which executive director Keith Allred announced that he is running for Governor as a democrat.

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity.  Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.

According to their website (www.TheCommonInterest.org), The Common Interest is registered as a non-profit with the Idaho Secretary of State and is seeking 501(c) (3) Status with the IRS.

 “I’m disappointed that Keith Allred would try to exploit the non-profit tax-exempt status of The Common Interest to further his own personal and partisan agenda,” stated Jonathan Parker, Executive Director of the Idaho Republican Party.

 

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