(The Center Square) – For four years, leaders of the American Federation of Teachers union toured the country doing political rallies for Democrats.
Among the dozens of political events they attended from 2016 through 2020 included Hillary Clinton rallies, a get-out-the-vote event, and a Labor Day rally.
It’s the type of campaigning many unions do in support of Democratic issues.
However, a non-profit public interest law firm claims that from 2018 through 2020, AFT spent more than $3 million in political expenditures and didn’t declare it on the proper disclosure reports.
Landmark Legal Foundation states that AFT is obligated to report the expenditures and pay taxes on them.
Landmark Legal Foundation reviewed AFT’s reporting and then filed a complaint with the IRS in 2022 asking for an investigation of AFT’s political expenditures. In October, AFT followed with a supplemental filing with the IRS.
AFT did not respond to an email from The Center Square seeking comment.
The IRS stated in an email to The Center Square it could not comment on specific organizations due to privacy laws.
Landmark Legal Foundation stated that AFT responded to the complaint and said they are properly reporting their political spending via its Political Action Committee, or PAC.
But Landmark Legal Foundation stated there are multiple political expenditures itemized on AFT’s disclosure reports but not reported on the PAC’s disclosure statements.
Since they aren’t part of the PAC’s spending, Landmark Legal Foundation stated the political spending would be made from the union’s general treasury funds, which come from the collection of union dues.
Landmark Legal Foundation stated that since the political spending wasn’t on PAC reports, the union should report that political spending on a report known as a Form 990, which goes to the IRS.
AFT reported having $203 million in total revenue in 2020. On the Form 990 that is filed with the federal government, the question is asked, “Did the organization engage in direct or indirect political campaign activities on behalf of or in opposition to candidates for public office? If ‘Yes,’ complete Schedule C, Part I.” For the 2020 calendar year, AFT checked “No.”
Michael O’Neill, vice president of legal affairs at Landmark Legal Foundation, said that is problematic since the spending wasn’t listed with the PAC.
“They are saying not one cent of the over $200 million they take in annually is used for indirect or direct political activity,” O’Neill said.
“For four years, leaders of the American Federation of Teachers union toured the country doing political rallies for Democrats.”
“They are saying not one cent of the over $200 million they take in annually is used for indirect or direct political activity,” O’Neill said.
Hummm…. American Federation of Teachers union toured the country doing political rallies for Democrats but “They are saying not one cent of the over $200 million they take in annually is used for indirect or direct political activity,”
One thing I have learned during my life is, – that Democrats Lie about everything.
To this Lying, self-righteous, woke Democrat Party and their idiot supporters, the U.S. Constitution, Laws, Gender, Truth, Facts, Reality and History are all irrelevant, if the Democrats do not WANT to believe them or they disagree with them. Democrats will just make up their own, laws, Gender, Truth, Facts, Reality and History to fit what they WANT to believe or fits into the Con or Deception that they are running at the time.
I was having a great day until I saw the picture at the beginning of this article. Then I threw up all over the coffee table
Isn’t it amazing that criminals do not have to pay taxes to the IRS? This is the filth of Washington DC. If this was a conservative organization not paying taxes, the FBI would show up at their doorstep with guns drawn!
JUST LIKE WE already saw under Jannet Yelnin..
of course not. HECK, i doubt any of these unions do.
The “teacher’s” union is corrupt. They do everything for the good of the union, the “management”, and their members. But they do NOTHING to define and set favorable education standards. They are a joke and care only about themselves.