The NHCAA is the New Hampshire Citizens Alliance for Action. They are a 501 (c)(4), and the political-action arm of the New Hampshire Citizen Alliance (NHCA). The NHCA is a 501(c)(3) and the local chapter of USA Action which, if it was in a vat and you scooped some out, it would provide you with a frothing cup of primordial progressive/socialist poison.
I point this out {the 501 (c)(4) part at least} because according to a letter signed by New Hampshire’s own Senator Shaheen, sent to the Internal Revenue Service, several Democrat Senators have expressed a concern about whether 501(c)(4) groups are engaging in any campaign activity which (according to the Senators) is expressly prohibited by their 501 (c)(4) status.
So how might this affect the NHCAA? Well, the NHCAA is a 501(c)(4) that began filing reports with the FEC in October of 2010, specifically to canvass for then incumbent Democrat Congressional candidate Carol Shea Porter. In fact all they ever appear to have done is canvass for Carol Shea Porter. And according to Shaheen, that is against the law.
From the Shaheen signed letter to the IRS…
“…The promotion of social welfare does not include direct or indirect participation or intervention in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for political office.”
So is creating a PAC, then spending over $30,000.00 in the waning days of a losing campaign, “canvassing” for just one Democrat candidate, sound like it might be “direct or indirect participation in a political campaign on behalf of a candidate for political office?”
>According to FEC records, not only did the NHCAA rent office space to support Carol Shea Porter, by the time they filed their end of year report with the FEC the NHCAA had spent over $30,000.00 on supporting one candidate for political office.
Over at Open Secrets, they report on some 15,000 plus spent on communication costs and “coordinated” support of Democrat Carol Shea Porter.
And if that is not enough, in a letter dated August 15, 2011, to the FEC, New Hampshire Citizens Alliance for Action, clearing up what they assume is a “Housekeeping measure,” state that.
“With respect to expenditures you have identified in your second letter, these expenses were administrative charges ancillary to the distribution of political flyers in the ten days prior to and including election day, with the vast bulk of expenses serving as administrative charges in support of canvassing on election day itself, November 3rd, 2010…”
So here’s the rub, and there is plenty more of this red-meat by the way, like how–for whatever reason, the NHCAA never needed to register with the New Hampshire Secretary of State in 2010; If it is acceptable for this particualr 501 (c)(4) to participate in what is obviously…
“…direct or indirect participation or intervention in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for political office.”
…then it must be acceptable for groups that do not advocate Senator Shaheen’s political views.
Or…we must assume that Senator Shaheen is prepared to invite the IRS to the offices of the 501 (c)(4) New Hampshire Citizen Alliance for Action, to investigate their having spent tens of thousands, in a very short time, advocating for a single Democrat candidate from her home state.
We’ll be watching.
