Mom's Against Guns Getting Free Ad Space

[Sebastian]

Everyone should be aware of this Philly Inquirer article about Clear Channel Outdoor and Interstate Outdoor giving away 30 free billboards in the Philadelphia area to an anti-gun group.

Here’s contact information for Clear Channel Outdoors. Here is the contact information for Interstate Outdoor Advertising. Be sure to let them know you think if they are going to give free advertising space to gun control groups they should offer the same to gun rights organizations.

One of my readers already got a response back from the stating:

To Dan: Thanks so much for your interest in the Public Service program at Clear Channel Outdoor. This program is for 50l(c)3 non-profit organizations, and limited to messages that are not of a controversial nature.

I have attached some information sheets regarding our Public Service program.

Please let me know when you’d like to begin a campaign, and I will be happy to check space availability for you. Please also send me a copy of your proposed artwork.

Many thanks - please call me anytime with questions.

Anne Riney, Public Affairs
Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc.
19320 Harborgate Way
Torrance, CA 90501
310.755.7212 Ph
310.755.7355 Fx

They must be made to understand that the issues Mom's Against Guns supports are controversial, and that Clear Channel and Interstate have just injected themselves into a contentious political debate, and offended many people who believe in the second amendment, and the right to bear arms.

[PisnNapalm]

Does PAFOA qualify as a 50l(c)3 non-profit organization?

[gbrown221]

TEAM LIFE WHO JUST HOSTED THE UTAH CFP CLASS IN BUCKS COUNTY IS

501(C)3

how can we help :-)

:-)

and we would be glad to help PAFOA establish 501(C)3 status if they allready are not

[Sebastian]

I'm not sure what PAFOA's tax status is.

[Jim In California]

Hi Sebastian,

For what it's worth, I just contacted Clear Channel and Interstate to ask them if they would provide free advertising to PFOA, the NRA or any other responsible group. I imagine I'll get the same BS letter that you got, but if enough people do it, they may get the message.

Hey all of you, I live in a state where gun owners are demonized every day, and if one of the latest idiot laws goes through and is signed by our idiot Governator, it will be ever harder to buy and keep a reasonable supply of ammo around. This nonsense can happen easily in any state if you sit back and let it occur, so please take a minute to email these two outfits to let them know you will not do business with them if they are going to fund gun control with the revenue.

[Sebastian]

There will be more posted about this either on my blog or Bitter's tomorrow. Bitter is making phone calls developing this story as we speak.

[LorDiego01]

so far as I see it..

ClearChannel is a private organization. They own, run and maintain their own billboards, therefore, they should be able to do with them as they please.

I think you are getting on the wrong foot here, asking that if they support X, then they MUST bend over for Y. And that is simply not the case.

Now, if CC were running paid billboards by MAG, and then they refuse to run a paid billboard by NRA, PAFOA and whatnot, that you might have a leg to stand on.

As it stands, this is as a private property rights issue.

[Sebastian]

Who is arguing the government come in and prevent Clear Channel from doing this? They absolutely have a right to do this, and we have a right to take them to the mat for it. It's their stated policy that they do not give free billboards to 501(c)(3)s that advocate for controversial causes. Gun control is a controversial cause, and if supporting it creates a public relations problem for them, they might not want to do it again in the future.

Jim Zumbo was within his rights for saying assault weapons were terrorist rifles, but all his sponsors were within their rights to drop him like a hot potato because he had made himself a liability for them. This is the same kind of thing.

[Brick]

Here's some information I found about 501(C)3 organizations. This was posted in the General forum as a reply to the thread "MAG at it Again"

Here's some information from Wikipedia, so it needs to be verified with the IRS tax code.

"Note that "tax exempt" also does not excuse an organization from maintaining proper records and filing any required annual or special-purpose tax returns.[2] Previously, annual returns were not generally required from an exempt organization accruing less than $25,000 in gross income yearly.[3] However, from 2008 onwards, many such organizations must file a yearly "e-Postcard" or risk losing their exemption [4]

Failure to file required returns such as Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax) may result in monetary fines of up to $250,000 per year. Exempt or political organizations (excluding churches or similar religious entities) must make their returns, reports, notices, and exempt applications available for public inspection.

The exempt organization filed IRS Form 990 (or similar such public record as the Form 990-EZ or Form 990-PF) are generally available for public inspection and photocopying at the offices of the exempt organization, through a written request and payment for photocopies by mail from the exempt organization, or through a direct Form 4506-A Request for Public Inspection or Copy or Political Organization IRS Form request to the IRS of the exempt organization filing of Form 990 for the past three tax years. The Form 4506-A also allows the public inspection and/or photocopying access to Form 1023 Application for Recognition of Exemption or Form 1024, Form 8871 Political Organization Notice of Section 527 Status, and Form 8872 Political Organization Report of Contribution and Expenditures.

Failure to timely file such returns and to make other specific information available to the public is also prohibited.[5]

501(c)(3) exemptions apply to corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals

Political activity
Organizations with this classification are prohibited from conducting political campaign activities to influence elections to public office. Public charities (but not private foundations[citation needed]) are permitted to conduct a limited amount of lobbying to influence legislation. Although the law states that "no substantial part" of a public charity's activities may be devoted to lobbying, charities with very large budgets may lawfully expend a million dollars (under the "expenditure" test) or more (under the "substantial part" test) per year on lobbying. [6]

All 501(c)(3) organizations are also permitted to educate individuals about issues, or fund research that supports their political position without overtly advocating for a position on a specific bill. Think tanks such as the Cato Institute, Center for American Progress, and Heritage Foundation and other 501(c)(3) organizations produce reports and recommendations on policy proposals that do not count as lobbying under the tax code. Another example is the The American Foreign Policy Council is a lobbyist organization operating under this code."

Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501%28c....28c.29.284.29

So they have several areas open to attack on different grounds, if they are in fact organized under these laws. First, Their educational information must be verifiably correct! Second, they cannot endorse or oppose any candidate for election! Third they must file income tax returns. Fourth, Their lobbying efforts must not be a substantial part of their activities.

[Damage control]

Tagging for updates.

DC