Big Brothers Big Sisters & African American Fraternities to Develop Bold Plan to Help Black Boys Succeed
This is one of the most anticipated collaborations of 2010.
Atlanta (Source V-Newswire)…Big Brothers Big Sisters and leaders of the network’s Black Fraternity Coalition will meet in Atlanta (Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, 165 Courtland, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) to develop a bold strategy and detailed plan aimed at giving African American boys every opportunity to succeed. Leaders of the nation’s largest donor-supported volunteer mentoring network and their fraternity partners say they will significantly increase the number of African American Big Brothers, beginning in 2010.
The African American Mentoring summit, sponsored by the Arby’s Foundation, is the second step in Big Brothers Big Sisters’ announcement of its unprecedented collaboration with Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi fraternities aimed at getting more black men engaged in long-term mentoring. Recognizing that children of color, particularly African American boys, disproportionately represent children waiting to be matched, Big Brothers Big Sisters and its African American Roundtable (internal and external advisors) have made engaging black men a priority. Read more
Instant Blackness with a ticket and a name badge at the General Mills Foundation’s – MLK Breakfast 2010
The closer we get to the beginning of 2010, and the possibility of Corporate America getting closer to “Blackness” in anticipation of Martin Luther King’s birthday and Black History Month, there are important questions that we must ask ourselves. Why has Black America let the commemoration of our history and achievements slip into the hands of White commercialization?
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/IBNN
In 1961, my birth certificate said I was born a Negro. In 2009, given the existence of a playing field that is only semi-level—and even that, only for certain blacks- black Americans as a whole are still in the “Realm of Negroism.”
On January 18 2010, General Mills Foundation and the United Negro College Fund will present the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast.
The Breakfast “is an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of service of Dr. King and create an imperative to live out his legacy today in our homes, our communities and our world,” according to the MLK Breakfast website.
But wait. Next question.
Just what is Dr. King’s legacy? And how can we claim to honor this legacy, with no real engagement with the urgent issues that affect people of color every day?
Dr. King’s legacy cannot be lived and made real today over breakfast and tea, but requires grassroots organizing, protest, and activism. To fully understand this fact, we must look at the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement was at a peak from 1955-1965. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, guaranteeing basic civil rights for all Americans, regardless of race, after nearly a decade of nonviolent protests and marches, ranging from the 1955-1956 Montgomery bus boycotts to the student-led sit-ins of the 1960s to the huge March on Washington in 1963.
We must realize that Dr. Martin Luther King’s words and actions were considered radical at the time. They gained popularity because he spoke Truth to the People of the United States. Dr. King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Today, Black America has become mute and non-confrontational. Read more
Part 1: News Coverage of the 2009 Minneapolis Elections
By Donald W.R. Allen,II – editor in chief of IBNN, soon to present USA BLACK RADICAL.COM
This is a four part series that covers what happened in the news as IBNN saw it: favoritism to the DFL incumbents in the 2009 election cycle in Minneapolis. IBNN will cover what happened in the mainstream media and the Black Press, providing interviews with registered voters who read the Star Tribune and watched television stations WCCO 4 and KARE 11, and thus had no idea that 2009 was a municipal election year.
While on Election Day, the Minneapolis Urban League’s president R. Scott Gray hung out at Broadway Pizza with the CM Don Samuels group, the community suffered again with the lack of information about the 2009 Minneapolis Elections.
We hold the above-mentioned news agencies responsible.
Truth to the People – Power to the People, if not now…when?
Minneapolis’ Star Tribune paper is responsible, in part, for the lack of information received by the general public concerning the 2009 election cycle. The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. Its broadsheet covers the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.
In the recent election season, as well as the 2008 congressional campaign, political insiders from all parties watched in awe as the Star Tribune employed very selective parameters, giving the lion’s share of coverage only to DFL incumbents.
The 2009 Minneapolis mayor’s race had a field of 11 candidates, ranging from community activist Al Flowers to Minneapolis businessman Papa John Kolstad. Candidates like Richard Fransen, who reportedly spent over $14,000 on his campaign, went virtually unnoticed by the “Strib.”
Al Flowers’ minor legal troubles, which were dismissed for lack of evidence, were covered by the Star Tribune in a play-by-play reminiscent of a Minnesota Vikings football game.
Much like the Strib’s coverage of the minority-ethnic community, murder, death, and drug related crimes seem to be the priority for Minneapolis/St. Paul daily paper.
The Strib’s coverage of the 2009 Election cycle confirms the adage, “It’s not what you know – it’s who you know.”
Some things the Star Tribune did were a “gimmie.” Such as their endorsement of former employee and incumbent R.T. Rybak was one.
The popularity created by the Strib for the “fresh-faced, Minneapolis metro-sexual White-boy” let R.T. take full advantage of his miss-steps in city government by promoting and covering Rybak like the “Brett Favre of city politics” skewed the 2009 mayor’s race R.T.’s favor.
Rather than the Star Tribune or their partner station WCCO-4 covering the news objectively, the reality left much to be concerned about. Apparently, “news that’s fair and balanced” is only a FOX News slogan in Minneapolis.
With 238 stories mentioning the keywords, R.T. Rybak, compared to 6 stories for Papa John Kolstad and Bob Carney; 39 for Al Flowers; and 3 for William McGaughey, it’s clear that the Strib’s interest was having R.T. Rybak stay in office.
Many Minneapolis residents wondered if an election was really going on in 2009.
The Black Press in Minneapolis had issues as well.
Mixed messages were the flavor of the week in north Minneapolis’ Insight News.
The paper publicly endorsed Kenya McKnight for Ward 5 city council.
But in the last weeks of the campaign season, Insight News ran publicity shots of Congressman Keith Ellison shaking hands with incumbent Don Samuels, thus playing journalistic hoola-hoop in the weeks running up to the election. Mixed messages from the north Minneapolis paper confused the readers and political strategists, who wondered who they actually supported.
Other problems were evident at the Ward 5 debate sponsored by McFarlane Media and Insight News held at the new University of Minnesota/UROC building in north Minneapolis. Don Samuels declined the invite, and less than 20 people showed up for the event. IBNN attributes this to lack of coalition building and lack of a clear marketing strategy.
While Kenya McKnight received 336 first round votes (15.5%) Natalie Johnson Lee has received 649 (30.05%). At this writing there is no clear winner in the Ward 5 Minneapolis city council race. Incumbent Don Samuels has only 46.99% of the vote, and the new Rank Choice Voting system is the “ringer.”
When all is said and done, the mainstream media and Black Press misrepresented or confused the field of possible choices in 2009.
The mission of the press is to inform and empower the voters.
We find that they failed in their mission.
Time to Declare “Peace” on Youth Violence. The National Urban League makes a statement?
It’s interesting that the National Urban League is starting to address disparities among the Black youth of America. The St. Louis Urban League in cue to receive over $15 million in Stimulus dollars – what has happened to the Minneapolis Urban League, who reported at Wednesdays Board meeting that the Greater Twin Cities United Way will drastically cut funding to the fledgling social service agency. The Minneapolis Urban League will be cutting several jobs today(10/30). To those hard working staff members who lost their jobs at a once thriving flagship social service agency, we wish you the best and hope “change” will come in the form of “process with solutions” at the Minneapolis Urban League.
“With a commitment to solutions and no ears to listen, the Minneapolis Urban League continues to troll in deep water with a boat to big to keep float.”
The message falling on deaf ears from Marc H. Morial – President and CEO, National Urban League
If you’re reading this in your local urban newspaper, you probably encountered at least one story about youth violence in your community before finding your way to this column. But wading through reports of violence in the news pales beside the daily real life experiences of many young people across this nation. According to a recently released Justice Department report, “More than 60 percent of the nation’s youth have been exposed to violence within the last year. Nearly 1 in 2 was physically assaulted at least once, with more than 1 in 10 injured in an assault.”
While incidents like the 1999 Columbine massacre which caused the deaths of 13 people or the 2007 Virginia Tech rampage which took the lives of 32 make international headlines, we are in the grips of a largely silent epidemic of youth violence that is endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of children across this country every year.
A few weeks ago, the nation was riveted by a YouTube video of the senseless beating death of Derrion Albert, a Chicago high school honor student. Derrion was attacked on his way home from school as he innocently walked through a crowd of rival gang members. According to the New York Times, “Close to 70 students have been murdered [in Chicago] since the beginning of the 2007 school year.”
This level of violence is exceptional by any standard, but sadly, it is replicated at equally unacceptable levels in many of our major cities. As Attorney General Holder said during his recent visit to Chicago to address this issue, “Youth violence is not a Chicago problem any more than it is a black problem, a white problem or a Hispanic problem. It is an American problem.”
A problem this big calls all of us to action. In recent years, we declared “war” on drugs and “war” on terrorism. Today, I think it’s time we declare “peace” on youth violence. I was pleased that Holder and Education Secretary, Arne Duncan went to Chicago to begin what they called “a sustained national conversation” about youth violence in response to the Derrion Albert murder. Holder also announced a request for $24 million in next year’s budget for community-based prevention programs such as Ceasefire and Project Safe Neighborhoods. But stopping and preventing youth violence will take more than money. And it is about more than violence.
While young people who commit violent acts must ultimately be held accountable for their crimes, we cannot ignore the role that poverty, parenting, poor schools, guns, drugs, gangs and the lack of opportunity play in this on-going tragedy. We must invest both more money and more of ourselves in solving these problems if we want to dig out the roots of youth violence. As someone said to me recently, if we can find the votes and the money for a $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, we ought to be able to summon the will and the resources to save our kids.’
Has Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels lost his rabbit a** mind?
The Ward 5 Minneapolis City Council race has been; and continues to be one of strangest political races in Minneapolis’ history.
In this video, Councilman Don Samuels – in a room full of his north Minneapolis other-than minority-ethnic constituents talking about “cleaning up 
the north side.” Samuels goes on this rant and talks about the 24-hour Y and how great it is. He talks about the “stings” on Broadway businesses. This video is proof that Councilman Samuels is in need of a reality check.
IBNN’s question to CM Samuels is, “What happened to the community benefit agreement? How many people from north Minneapolis will get hired? Will this just be a mirror image of the Peace Foundation and Colorplast.
This Jamaican-American man’s rant in front of these White folks takes the Black people of north Minneapolis back to the Motherland where our own people sold us as slaves. In the United States, this politicians comment sends Americans (all), back to the days of “White only drinking fountains.”
(This posting is not an endorsement for any candidates running for Minneapolis City Council Ward 5 – but can be considered an alert for who to watch for…)
No matter what he does, Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Al Flowers Loves the community – maybe you should too
There are other options for Mayor of Minneapolis – make your vote count by having a first, second and third choice.
By Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief (Reporting from Washington, D.C.)
Last week at the KMOJ-FM ribbon cutting – of sorts- mayoral candidates Al Flowers and James Everett showed up, surprising Minneapolis mayor R. T. Rybak, who was there for a photo-op with “the community.”
In front of a packed room, Flowers proceeded to confront the mayor asking, “Why haven’t you come to a debate? What happened to the Empowerment Zone dollars? Why are you trying to kill the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights?” Questions the “celebrity Rybak” won’t answer – but questions the “politician Rybak” should answer!
Apparently, Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak has other things on his mind.
By failing to show up at any of the scheduled debates, he tells voters that he does not believe he has to any questions about his past performance or what he might do in the future. In some strategy circles, this might be considered a smart move – but with Rybak likely running for governor, this elitist behavior will surely come back to haunt him. Rural Minnesota will not tolerate a gubernatorial candidate who will not answer questions.
The Star Tribune and television news channels WCCO-4 and KARE 11 have for the most part failed to report on the 2009 Minneapolis mayoral race, giving the impression that Rybak is the only one running for office. However, there are a number of other candidates-William McGaughey; Papa John Kolstad; Al Flowers; James Everett; and Bob Carney – who deserved some type of coverage from the mainstream media. (Lets also hold the north Minneapolis Black media accountable for sending mixed messages.)
…It shocks me to realize how many people are uninformed, unconcerned and unable to converse about city politics and the many justifiable reasons Al would interrupt a community meeting—even if his tactics were less than “cordial and diplomatic.”
If the people of Minneapolis would stand up and pay attention, they would become aware of Mayor R.T. Rybak’s heinous mismanagement of city government; and they would likely have the same questions that Al does. They might come to believe that R.T. might not here to serve the citizens of Minneapolis – but to use the mayoral race as a stepping stone to the governor’s mansion.
I am not endorsing Carney, Flowers, McGaughey, Kolstad, or Everett for mayor. But the people of Minneapolis have several options, and they should know about them.
If there was ever a time to pull a “Jesse Ventura”—and make it clear to the “establishment” that they can’t take the people’s votes for granted– it’s now.
North Minneapolis Politics-Part III: A vote for Natalie Johnson-Lee is a vote for self-respect
Editor’s note: IBNN has offered to publish stories from candidates, their representatives and concerned citizens about the current Ward 5 Minneapolis City Council Race. IBNN does not endorse or represent any candidate running in Ward 5.
By Mel Reeves, Contributing Writer
I have read with a sense of shame and downright awe at the amount of apathy and downright trifling that has got black Minneapolis to this point. That is the point where a self-hating Black man can not only be elected to the majority Black and working class 5th ward, but has been proudly running around peddling the vilest and backwards of racial theories. If that’s not bad enough he has treated his constituency with downright condescension. Don Samuels has done this without bothering to hide his disdain for poor black folks and poor folks in general and the issues that are important to them.
In all my years I can not remember a black man bragging about coming from House Negro stock, where in his words his family got a “leg up,” while working in the “Big House.” If you don’t believe me just ask the folks that heard him talk about it at a Northside forum in 2005 when he ran against Natalie Johnson-Lee. He even wrote these ideas down in an Insight News commentary several years ago. Who and what kind of person does such a thing? This is not someone that should be leading anything that has a majority black constituency. And its not hard to read between the lines of what he is saying, its clear, the obvious interpretation is that –he is not one of us, he is better than us, he is our color but not our kind. I am not sure he even likes his constituents! Hell it doesn’t really seem like he likes himself.
Obviously, Samuels doesn’t know as much history as he claims, otherwise he would know that, being a House Negro, or coming from House Negro stock is nothing to brag about. It’s well known that the House Negro lorded it over the field Negro, snitching on him and otherwise playing the Uncle Tom for the Master. Samuels has played his self-proclaimed role well however. When Rybak coughs, Samuels asks, “What’s the matter boss we sick.” This guy loves the downtown power structure more than he loves his constituents.
Shockingly, this same man actually admitted in a public forum, sponsored by the Citizens League, that he had made fun of the attributes of darker skinned black folks when he was a youngster. But why remind us of this now, unless he is trying to tell us that he is not one of us (City Pages, “Black on Black Grime,” October 26, 2005)
If anyone thinks that I exaggerate, check out Samuels interview with Steve Marsh of Mpls/St.Paul Magazine (“Q&A with Don Samuels,” November 2006) Samuels comes off so caustic toward blacks in the interview, that Marsh asked him, “do you consider yourself Black.”
In the article Samuels passes off street corner hypothesis, half-baked pseudo science and crackpot theories as real analysis, while being used to say the things about Black folks that the establishment and obviously this magazine wants to say about Black folks. And since when did this magazine begin deciding who should speak for the Black community? When was it given the call to choose our leaders? Lord have mercy!
This man is wrong for North Minneapolis. And he is wrong, despite the efforts of the Mpls/St.Paul magazine and other media outlets to crown him as a black leader and expert on all things Black, including Black history.
He said of North High –which has been a fixture in the neighborhood for decades –that, “it ought to be burned down. My children will not darken the door of a Minneapolis public school in this city…. I’ve said burn North High School down. Something worse than vouchers could come along. If it works, if it sacrifices the entire school system, fine! Get rid of the damn thing! It hasn’t worked!” (Mpls/St.Paul Magazine February 2007 “the Great Black Hope”) And of course the Council-member is wrong. Public education, while clearly needing to be improved, especially in the inner cities, generally has worked – – ironically many of his conservative friends are products of that system. Where would the kids in the inner city go if their schools were dissolved, the suburbs have made it clear that they only want a handful at a time? And charter schools haven’t been all they were touted to be.
While cavalierly dismissing public education –which has been responsible for educating most of the folks in our community for decades — he also mocks the worth of books. He told a Star Tribune writer after voting against the Minneapolis libraries request for additional funding that, “When you are a person on the other end of a gun . . . the only use for a book is to throw it at them or block a bullet with it.”
Not surprisingly Samuels doesn’t practice what he preaches.
In the previously mentioned Q&A piece for Mpls/St.Paul Magazine he claimed that, Blacks and their institutions are undemocratic, including Black churches.” Our churches are not run as democratically as white peoples churches are,” Samuels said. He even poked fun at Rev. Jerry McAfee, pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in North Minneapolis, saying, “I can assure you that Reverend McAffee’s church is run much more autocratically than Nick Coleman’s church.” I doubt Samuels has set foot in McAfee’s church.
However, it appears to be Samuels who is undemocratic. He clearly has a problem with free speech. When he was challenged and ridiculed on an MTN broadcast by mayoral candidate and activist Al Flowers for making foolish and derogatory statements about the Black community, he very undemocratically sought to have Flowers and his partner Booker Hodges removed from the public access station. Flowers sued him and won.
Ironically, Samuels complains about violence on the part of his constituents, yet he has had to be restrained on more than one occasion. He was recently accused of getting in the face of a landlord that he doesn’t like.
Samuels, the man who would speak for black folks, bears his teeth against poor folks who can barely keep up their dwelling, sometimes encouraging the levying of exorbitant fines. However he has no teeth and no courage when it comes to demanding accountability from contractors, who continuously fail to comply with city requirements for the hiring of minorities and women.
Not surprisingly, in his efforts to denigrate and belittle black folks in his ward he leaves no stone unturned, he even picks on little Black children. In a forward for a position paper extolling the virtues of school vouchers, by local conservative think tank, “Center of the American Experiment,” Samuels asks aloud, “how many future murderers are in the first grade classes of the four elementary schools within a mile of my house.”
While everyone correctly sees the rash of foreclosures as a crisis and genuinely feels bad for the people who have lost their homes– many because of underhanded and deceptive practices by lending institutions and sub prime financiers– the Fifth Ward “leader” hints very callously, that there is a silver lining. In a February 9, MinnPost.com article, “Are foreclosures helping to improve the Northside?” – the 5th Ward Councilman said, “In the typical American city it has exacerbated the crime problem. But in Minneapolis, certainly north Minneapolis, the foreclosure crisis has improved the safety situation.” I don’t think folks who have lost their houses are going to take much comfort in the fact that their loss has made the neighborhood safer.
Speaking of public safety, Samuels has ridden that horse to death, to the point of putting much of the Northside under the eyes of Big Brother under the name of fighting crime. Minneapolis police surveillance camera’s dot the landscape, even unsuspecting Cub Foods shoppers are under the watchful eye of the Fourth Precinct police station.
Incidentally, he dismisses the very real and documented fear that many Black have of being racially profiled by police and consequently mistreated, by saying that only criminals have to fear mistreatment from the police.
Samuels offers little hope to Minneapolis with his knee jerk theories and rehashed conservatism ripe with is victim blaming. He tells black folks to take personal responsibility, yet remains silent while those in power or rich enough, rob the public till with their ponzie schemes, sub-prime loans and outright cheating.
W.E.B. Dubois aptly depicted would be leaders such as Samuels calling them, “ignorant social climbers whose only claim to fame is the ability to kick Negroes when they are down.”
Has Black Minneapolis no self-respect? This is 2009 not 1909 Step n’ Fetchit and his ilk have long been laid to rest. We no longer allow folks to sing Mammy songs and we don’t scratch where we don’t itch and we don’t laugh when we are not amused. Read more
Minneapolis City Council, Mayor and pundits oust Black/Disabled Chairman of Civil Rights Commission
Minneapolis, MN…On Friday, September 18, 2009 – Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission Chairman Ken Brown, a 7-year veteran of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, was unceremoniously ousted.
72 hours before he was to file a complaint alleging heinous violations of misconduct by persons within the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), the Minneapolis City Council failed to re-appoint him to the commission.
Black Minneapolis City Council persons Don Samuels (Ward 5) and Ralph Remington (Ward 10) offered no explanation and remain mute.
In the complaint, known as a Commissioner’s Charge, Brown cites violations of ordinances, procedures and policies by members of the MDCR and employees of the City of Minneapolis, including specific charges against Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan and City of Minneapolis, Human Resource director Pam French.
Brown, who has been an outspoken critic of the leadership of the MDCR, was appointed to the Commission by the mayor in 2006. His term would have ended on Monday, September 21, 2009 at midnight, making the fact that he was removed just before filing his damaging report all the more conspicuous.
Brown is also the only appointee with an apparent physical disability and a Black male.
During his tenure, Brown repeatedly raised questions about processes and procedures followed by the MDCR and its director Michael Jordan.
Sources say he had hinted to the Minneapolis City Attorney’s office that the complaint he intended to file was forthcoming.
Brown says, “This is an attempt to silence my ongoing inquiry as to why the City of Minneapolis routinely violates civil rights ordinances, thereby denying complainants due protection under the law. The citizens of Minneapolis must be made aware of problems within the MDCR that prevent them from carrying out their charge to serve the people.”
Earlier last month, Brown also sent an email to Minneapolis City Council’s Scott Benson (Ward 11) asking why a Disparity Report had not been commissioned by the city since 1997.
Brown states, “The failure to have on hand an updated Disparity Report, the City of Minneapolis categorically denies minorities from gaining access to jobs and other opportunities, and it’s clear to me that they don’t care.”
Don Allen, editor in chief IBNN (612) 986-0010
IBNN – All Rights Reserved 2009 ©
Allegations of Fraud: Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights, who’s running the shop?
In a letter sent to Vincent Brown Trucking from the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) compliance officer Leslie Woyee stating that his company has been ‘listed’ as participating in the contract “2009 Construction of Sidewalks –District 2 & 3 Project” with a request for an activity report, Mr. Brown is at odds with what’s going on.
The general contractor is Concrete Idea, Inc. – phone calls of inquiry have not been returned to IBNN.
Mr. Brown tells IBNN that he has no contract with the City of Minneapolis for the above mentioned project and doesn’t understand why he’s getting this letter. Brown goes on to say, “I am certified as a minority-owned business. The City of Minneapolis has not given me any information about my “supposed inclusion” on this contract. Somethings wrong.”
IBNN contacted to Ms. Woyee at the MDCR to inform her about the letter and the possible mistake, she told IBNN, “Could you please return the letter to me?”
After further investigation, the MDCR should have never sent this letter to Mr. Brown, nor it been produced by Ms. Woyee. A source outside of the MDCR who wishes to remain unidentified, told IBNN that this particular contract needs to be looked at for possible and alleged fraud issues by the contractor and the MDCR compliance unit management.
Below is the letter sent to Mr. Brown:
If this letter is one of many that go out from the MDCR to vendors working on city contracts. the question we have is, “Why the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights doesn’t have procedures in place to catch mistakes like this – if it is a mistake…or done to cover up some other misguided funds.”
On the other hand, a full investigation must be sought to find out why Vincent Brown Trucking was sent this letter – but also to backtrack the dollars paid-out to find who is responsible for listing this non-participating vendor on a city contract.
More to come…
Prohibited Activities – We’re Watching…
Election year 2008 was very interesting. Several non-profit organizations approached candidates to ask for support of their agendas. Clearly, this was a direct violation of IRS 501(c)(3) procedures and rules. Much like the congregation at a local church (in 2008) being asked to support the Minneapolis Public Schools Referendum – “The Minneapolis Public Schools are going broke and need your assistance.” Still with the Referendum passed, children of color are no better in Minneapolis Public Schools then a year ago. Of course, the “students” and classes probably won’t see that money until the 2010-2011 school year. Lets watch the test scores or Yearly Average Progress, pass or fail?
Non-profit organizations in 2008 blatantly solicited candidates support for their issues and platforms.
In the Twin Cities forums were controlled by the League of Women Voters, and community hubs like Jordan New Life Hub would get a small grant or stipend to hold the forum with a representative from the LWV hosting and moderating the debate…I was there, and informed of the obvious set-up. KSTP-TV Channel 5 has never gotten back to us on how much they received if any for last year’s series of debates sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
All I know is that Mr. Stanley Hubbard, Jr. would not support the GOP Endorsed 5 Congressional District candidate telling me at the Minneapolis Athletic Club, “It’s not the right time.” Well, slip happens!
We had phone calls by non-profit presidents to community members asking for support of particular candidates, some that were employees of the non-profit organization. Is this really okay?
On Sunday, July 26, 2009 – we had a local politician make up his own rules. (More to come later.)
What will it take for non-profit agencies in the Twin Cities to learn a valuable lesson about non-partisanship? Will it take a loss of a tax exempt status?
A new “watchdog” is on the scene, The Nationwide Republican Opportunity Council of America (NROCA) – (ACORN spelled backwards.) The NROCA will not allow an inch in partisanship with any candidate, no matter what party him/her are associated with.
Irony…
So that we’re clean on the rules, the following information applies to 501(c)(3) organizations.
Advocacy of candidates: The IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in either the expressed or implied advocacy of particular candidates. Express advocacy exists when a statement or publication encourages the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate. Implied advocacy exists when a communication does not clearly identify the candidate to vote for or against, but instead makes statements such as “Remember, vote Democrat.”
Non-profits concerned about specific issues are allowed to use an election to get increased exposure for their issues. They also are allowed to work to get their positions on issues included in political party platforms. While nonprofits are free to publicize their issues, they are not allowed to directly solicit candidates to support such issues.
Although the IRS says it allows 501(c)(3) organizations to deal with moral, social, or economic issues during election years, nonprofits are not allowed to engage in political intervention by using “code words” (e.g. Go Democrats, Bad Republicans, anti-gun) in communications that are timed to help or hurt the election chances of any candidate.
…So non-profit organizations, when you get that “star struck, I’ve seen a celebrity” look in your eye – look at the rules, more importantly, look at your community, especially in north Minneapolis – you’ve seen nothing….
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