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IRE 2015: Merchants

of MudslingingMichael Beckel

Reporter, Center for Public Integrity

@mjbeckel: 202!"##2!$

mbeckel@publicintegrity%org

Tip Sheet: bit.ly/BehindTheAds

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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 Who’s behind that political ad?

• Pro Tip: The fne print is yourriend

Clock&i'e, from abo(e: mailing from Penn'yl(anian' for)ccountability, 'creen'hot' from the *entucky +pportunityCoalition Patriot Majority -.)%

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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 What’s in a name?

• /oogle1ei' – 3a' 'omeone el'e &ritten about it4

 – 5oe' the group ha(e a &eb'ite4• I6 78., &ho regi'tere9 the &eb'ite4 3+I.

• .ocial me9ia pre'ence4 – )cti(e on 6acebook, ;&itter, 7ou;ube,

etc%4

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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 W!I" loo#up

• .ometime' u'eful% .ometime' a9ea9 en9%

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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 What t$pe of group is it?

P)C

.uper P)C<=2> committee?

abor union

=0#AcA bu'ine'' league

=0#AcA! <'ocial &elfare? nonproDt

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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6e9eral P)C' 'uper P)C'• Search on FEC.go !!!" state#ent o organi$ation

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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%ederal &'(s ) super &'(s•

5onation' epen9iture' al'o regularly reporte9 to 68C

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%ederal &'(s ) super &'(s

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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"tate*le+el &'(s

• .earch .ecretary of .tate?' &eb'ite'

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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,52- committees’

• .ome political committee' report tothe IR.

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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.abor unions

• -nion' mu't regularly report to the 5ept% of abor

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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.M*2 filings

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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501/c/s ) 501/c/s

• <.ocial &elfare? nonproDt' bu'ine'' league'Dle annual report' &ith the IR. calle9 6orm$$0'% .ome al'o Dle application' for ta

eempt 'tatu' calle9 6orm #02!'%

•  7ou can get them fromE – ;he IR., though you ha(e to fa or mail reFue't'

 –

 ;he group' them'el(e' – +ther organiGation', like /ui9e.tar, 6oun9ation

Center an9 CitiGen)u9it

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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IR" %orm 102• Can pro(i9e a glimp'e behin9 the curtain in term' of a group?' planne9

acti(itie', bu9get, boar9 member' an9 'ometime' anticipate9 9onor'

• 8a'ie't &ay to obtain: 6a the IR. on your org?' letterhea9: #=#H2H=$00, inclu9ing the name, a99re'' an9 8I1 number of groupA'

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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IR" %orm 330s• 6ile9 annually% 5etail group'? acti(itie'%

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IR" %orm 330s /cont4

• /ui9e.tar, 6oun9ation Center, CitiGen)u9ithelp make $$0' more acce''ible

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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IR" Master %ile

• uick &ay to Dn9 anonproDt?' 8I1number, a99re'',contact name 9ate it recei(e9taeempt 'tatu'

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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"tate incorporation records

• here i' the nonproDt ba'e94

• 3o& freFuently mu't it Dle report' &ith that'tate4

• )rticle' of incorporation on Dle4• 1ote of caution: .ome 'tate' Ae%g%, 58 7

ha(e (ery limite9 amount' of info a(ailable%

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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%(( records•

8ach ;J 'tation maintain' onlinepolitical Dle' regar9ing a9(erti'er'%

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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(enter for &ublic Integrit$ tools

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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!ther resources

• +rganiGation' like the Center for Re'pon'i(ePolitic', 1ational In'titute on Money in .tatePolitic' an9 .unlight 6oun9ation makecampaign Dnance 9ata more u'erfrien9ly

8/20/2019 Following the Money, Part II

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'67 8!9

•  ;ip 'heet: bit.ly/BehindTheAds

Michael Beckel

Reporter, Center for Public Integrity

@mjbeckel

202!"##2!$mbeckel@publicintegrity%org