|
|
Kevin Cramer on Government Reform |
Kevin Cramer (R): No. Disclose individual contributions, but "what other organizations, liberal & conservative, do to promote their beliefs is up to them."
Heidi Heitkamp (D): Yes. Sponsored 2018 DISCLOSE Act. "North Dakotans deserve to know who's trying to influence our elections."
Q: Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?
Kevin Cramer (R): Yes.
Heidi Heitkamp (D): No. Reverse by constitutional amendment. "Billionaires who couldn't pick out North Dakota on a map shouldn't have more" electoral sway "than hard-working North Dakotans."
A: No. The First Amendment to the Constitution is clear on this and has been upheld by the Supreme Court. While I support full disclosure for candidate and direct contributions, what other organizations, liberal and conservative, do to promote their beliefs is up to them. We are free people and it should be left that way.
Congressional summary:: Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act: Requires the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standards and definitions in effect on January 1, 2010, for determining whether an organization qualifies for tax-exempt status as an organization operated exclusively for social welfare to apply to such determinations after enactment of this Act. Prohibits any regulation, or other ruling, not limited to a particular taxpayer relating to such standards and definitions.
Proponent's argument in favor (Heritage Action, Feb. 26, 2014): H.R. 3865 comes in the wake of an attack on the Tea Party and other conservative organizations. The current IRS regulation is so broad and ill-defined that the IRS applies a "facts and circumstances" test to determine what constitutes "political activity" by an organization. This test can vary greatly depending on the subjective views of the particular IRS bureaucrat applying the test. IRS employees took advantage of this vague and subjective standard to unfairly delay granting tax-exempt status to Tea Party organizations and subject them to unreasonable scrutiny.
Text of sample IRS letter to Tea Party organizations:We need more information before we can complete our consideration of your application for exemption. Please provide the information requested on the enclosed Information Request by the response due date. Your response must be signed by an authorized person or officer whose name is listed on your application.
