Tikun Olam Files IRS Complaint Against Clarion Fund

After covering the campaign to distribute 28 million DVDs of the anti-Muslim documentary, Obsession,
to sway voters to vote Republican in crucial swing states, I’ve decided
to file an IRS complaint (form 13909) against the Clarion Fund, which
produced the film and distributed it.

 

There are too many subterfuges involved in the production of this film and the way that Clarion does business.

 

 

 

Promotional packaging for Obsession DVD (click for enlarged image)

 

 

 

It is a 501c3 non-profit organization. That’s why the film’s packaging makes this bogus claim:

Clarion Fund is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization devoted to educating the public about national security issues.

501c3’s are prohibited from engaging in direct partisan political activity. Yet Radical Islam,
another Clarion website, featured an endorsement of John McCain’s
candidacy. It is Republican bedrock principle to frighten American
voters with the bogeyman of Islamic terror. If they do, they figure
they win as they have a lock on the national security vote. George
Bush, Dick Cheney and now, John McCain have done this since 9/11.
Similarly, Raphael Shore, the film’s producer and director of Clarion
Fund, bets that any voter he can scare with this film is likely to vote
Republican.

 

The Republican Jewish Coalition has sent out mass mailings of
Obsession to various Jewish mailing lists. Right-wing evangelical
groups distributed it at both national political conventions. The
film’s packaging features this message:

The threat of Radical Islam is the most important issue facing us
today. But it’s a topic that neither the presidential candidates nor
the media are discussing openly (!). It’s our responsibility to ensure we can all make an informed decision come November.

In short, everything about this film and Clarion Fund is partisan and political. As such, the latter has clearly violated IRS regulations governing the behavior of non-profit organizations.

Further, every non-profit is required to file an IRS form 990 and make it accessible to the public.

 

Clarion Fund acknowledges it has not done so. Gregory Ross, it’s
PR flack claims it’s level of activity was not substantial enough to
meet the threshold for filing a 990. I’m no expert on 501c3 regulations
(though I AM a former non-profit fundraiser), but this sounds entirely
bogus to me. This is another issue that the IRS should investigate as
part of my complaint.

 

Will Evans of Truthdig writes
that 501c3’s do not have to reveal their donor lists. This could be a
golden reason why Shore has registered as a non-profit. He gives his
donors the opportunity to make tax-deductible gifts to Clarion at the
U.S. taxpayer’s expense. In the meantime, he can conceal their identity
in ways that would not be possible were Clarion a different type of
entity.

 

Finally, if anyone doubts the partisan nature of this film, the
list of interviewees includes Alan Dershowitz, fake PLO terrorist Walid
Shoebat, Nonie Darwish, Brigitte Gabriel, and Muslim-hater Daniel
Pipes. Among the endorses with blurbs listed on the DVD are Jewish
neocon Michael Medwed, an analyst from the right-wing Hudson Institute,
and a professor from the U.S. Navy War College.

 

I’ve just discovered that CAIR has filed a complaint
with the Federal Election Commission against the Clarion Fund, claiming
it is a front for Aish HaTorah and is shilling for the McCain campaign.
CAIR believes the funding for distribution of the DVDs comes from Aish.
My money is still on the RJC, but who knows.

 
Source: israelenews.com