New Evidence NOM misled Maine Ethics Commission
People for the American Way's President Michael Keegan recently sent a letter to the Maine Ethics Commission detailing new evidence of misleading and inaccurate statements made by the National Organization for Marriage's Executive Director Brian Brown.
An excerpt:
NOM, according to Mr. Brown, filed its 2008 990 with the IRS on August 14, 2009 -- one day before the August 15 deadline for groups, including NOM, that filed for an automatic extension. Per IRS regulations, the 990 "must be made available from the date it is required to be filed" -- in this case, August 15. Yet when Lou Chibbaro, a veteran political reporter for the Washington Blade, interviewed Mr. Brown the following week and requested the 2008 990, Mr. Brown "promised to release to the Blade NOM's 2007 IRS 990 finance reporting form and said the group would also release its 2008 990 form as soon as it completes its processing." On August 28, Mr. Chibbaro visited NOM's DC office and delivered a written request for the 990s. Mr. Brown called him back that day and informed him that his staff was still at work "processing" the form.
However, there is no such thing as a "processing" period beyond the filing deadline during which time an organization can refuse to disclose its 990. Furthermore, Mr. Chibbaro never received the 2008 990, nor was he notified when NOM suddenly posted the 990 on the web in the days leading up to the October Commission meeting.
