Focus on the Family chairman James Dobson’s endorsement of 2004 Republican candidates did not disqualify his conservative media ministry from tax-exempt status, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service ruled after an audit.
Dobson acted as an individual and did not speak on behalf of the Colorado Springs-based ministry he founded, the IRS said.
Dobson announced Monday morning on Focus on the Family’s flagship radio program, aired nationally, that the IRS found him “squeaky clean” after a year of auditing.
“We believe in following to the letter IRS regulations and every other aspect of the law,” Dobson said in his broadcast. “We are called by Scripture to do it.”
The IRS prohibits any tax-exempt groups, known as Section 501(c)(3) organizations, from participating in any political campaign to support or oppose any candidate.
These groups cannot endorse a candidate, raise funds, make donations, distribute statements or otherwise intervene. Violation can result in revocation of exempt status.
The prohibition does not restrict the free expression of individual views, even from leaders of organizations, the IRS said.
The IRS, in a letter to Focus on the Family signed by a director of examinations, Marsha Ramirez, said the IRS audit:
“Revealed that Dr. Dobson’s reported remarks did not occur in publications of Focus on the Family, did not occur at functions of Focus on the Family, and did not involve Dr. Dobson suggesting that he was speaking as a representative of Focus on the Family.”
Two watchdog groups had filed complaints against Focus on the Family in 2005 alleging Dobson had engaged in prohibited electioneering.
The Citizens Project in Colorado Springs told the IRS that a Focus on the Family magazine article clearly implied the organization’s support for President Bush, said director Barb Van Hoy.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington alleged that Dobson violated IRS code by using Focus on the Family resources to campaign for or endorse Republican Senate and gubernatorial candidates.
CREW’s deputy director, Naomi Seligman Steiner, said Monday that the group will continue carefully watching Focus on the Family because there was no question that Dobson repeatedly “pushes the envelope” by weighing into politics.
Dobson returned the sentiment.
“We’re dealing with a culture war where people care passionately about the liberal agenda, and they will do anything,” Dobson said about opponents in general on his Monday program.
As to whether Dobson will endorse any candidates in 2008, “It’s too early to tell,” said Tom Minnery, Focus on the Family senior vice president for government and public policy.
“Dr. Dobson knows to use individual private stationery and to state he is speaking as an individual and not as a representative of the organization he founded,” Minnery said. “We pay a lot of money to our lawyers, and we follow their advice. We take the IRS regulations very seriously.”
Staff writer Electa Draper can be reached at 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com.
