New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has widened his probe of tax-exempt social-welfare groups that he believes could be violating tax-exemption laws by making forays into national politics, according to the Associated Press, which used anonymous sources.
The office has requested records from about two dozen organizations, some of which are pro-Democrat and others, pro-Republican, the AP reported. Any organization that receives $25,000 or more in annual donations from sources in the state have to register with the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau.
Groups under investigation include the Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund in Washington and Americans for Limited Government in Fairfax, Va.
The AP’s sources declined to name all the groups Schneiderman requested information from. The New York Times, which first reported the story yesterday, named several other groups. They include the Republican-affiliated Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, American Action Network and American Future Fund and the Democratic-affiliated Priorities USA Action, Patriot Majority USA and America Votes.
Schneiderman didn’t want to wait for the IRS and Federal Election Commission to Act, sources told AP. They said it wasn’t clear with some groups how much their work is educational versus political.
The social welfare groups, known as 501©(4)s, can participate in some political activity, but it can’t be the main focus of their work and resouces, the New York Times reported.
