Opinion: NAACP audit raises suspicion

Opinion: NAACP audit raises suspicion: "NAACP audit raises suspicion
A Times Editorial
Published December 22, 2004
On its face, the Internal Revenue Service's decision to audit the NAACP over allegations of overly partisan activities may seem fair enough. After all, the organization's leaders didn't make much of an effort to conceal their strong disapproval of President Bush and his policies.
Under the law, organizations with a 501 (c) 3 tax exemption are barred from 'from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office,' according to the IRS's Web site. Such groups may criticize specific policies, but tax-exempt groups cannot favor one political candidate over another - a line many nonprofit organizations cross far too often."