Posted on 10/19/2004 10:07:07 PM PDT by calif_reaganite
Igor Birman, complainant in Birman v. ASUCD, upon the determination of the case by the Internal Revenue Service, released the following statement:
"In April of this year, I filed a formal complaint with the IRS, contending that ASUCD has wilfully, knowingly, and repeatedly engaged in violations of Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code by endorsing candidates for political office and attempting to influence statewide legislation.
I did so, fully realizing the grave implications of this approach, but at the same time guided by a desire to stop the reprehensible practice of ASUCD spending student and taxpayer funds on candidate and legislative endorsements -- practices strictly prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code to non-profit charities, such as ASUCD.
ASUCD was informed of the nature of their obligations as a registered charity and the relevant restrictions on political activity both by me and by Professor Daniel Simmons of the UC Davis Law School in a California Aggie article. Since this advice fell on deaf ears and was met with arrogance and contempt by ASUCD, I had a responsibility to the students of my alma mater as well as to taxpayers of California to request the involvement of the Federal Government to forever end this abusive and illegal practice.
The investigation begun by the IRS is an enormous victory for the students of UC Davis and the taxpayers of California, as it will lead to a permanent cessation of these activites that have made a mockery of federal law.
I call on ASUCD to issue a formal apology to the students of UC Davis for engaging in illegal activities on their behalf and also to establish a mechanism for these students to seek refunds of the fees that ASUCD collected from them over the years when the unlawful endorsements took place. Those ASUCD officials and advisors who brought about this needless and unfortunate sequence of events need to be held accountable by the student body. They have utterly failed in their responsibilites and deserve appropriate consequences."
You are the man. This is exactly what this type of group needs. A wakeup call. Too often they think because they are exempt from paying taxes, they are also exempt from following the law.
Good for you. The law doesnt exempt sniveling leftists.
If you filed this complaint, God bless you. This is very encouraging when the IRS for a change, doesn't look the other way at institutions and goes after them. They never have a problem going after Joe Taxpayer. Now the "other side" will know what it feels like to get one's a** reamed.
BTW- Here is an unrelated article on what is wrong with student government,..... Deliver us from Student Government
Good for you. I am a resident of the People's Republic of Davis. My hat is off to those who keep the radical institutions in line.
They just figured they are above the law, and if past trends continue, they would get away with it anyway, just like all other liberal subversive 501(c)3's have.
I know. I imagine they probably lied. They have a full time agent investigating them now.
Excellent. Time for students all across the nation to rise
and act!
Leftists student politics aside. I've always wondered about the wisdom of giving tax-exempt status in exchange for the constitutional right of free speech. I think a lot of our freedoms are being bought up this way.
Why did you have to point this out to the IRS? Can't they see the forest through the trees?
Thanks! I have a history with UCD -- I got fired from their campus newspaper for being too conservative back when I was still a student. Ended up suing them and winning.
Here's a really old thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/827007/posts
Taxman Bravo Zulu!
According to Menezes, ASUCD is prohibited from endorsing candidates for public office because of its nonprofit status. Although the ASUCD Senate has passed several resolutions in support of various candidates and California state ballot measures, Menezes said the senate maintains it did not have full knowledge of the law when the resolutions were passed. Nonsense.
My daughter graduated from UC Davis in June of 2003. The political correctness was a thorn in her side. It is good to know there are some Aggies with good sense. Keep up the good work!!
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