Drug Policy Alliance <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/logo_dpa.gif> <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17174> DrugPolicy.org <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17188> Donate <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17187> Take Action
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/header_angle_spacer.gif>
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/newsletter/header_top.gif>
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif> Alliance Action Netwrok <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/action/header_action_network.gif> <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/action/header_action_alert_photo.jpg>
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/newsletter/header_bottom.gif>
February 6, 2004 <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17177> text version
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
gag, censorship, censored <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/ImageLibrary/DPA/E2Action/gag_order90x90.jpg>
IRS and FEC Gag Political Speech
Emergency - Oppose The IRS And FEC Proposals To Clamp Down On the Alliance's Right To Communicate With Fellow Reformers
<http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17171> Fax Congress Now!!
Two Bush administration agencies are considering new rules that could prevent the Drug Policy Alliance and other advocacy groups from contacting their supporters about the political actions of federal officials who are up for re-election. Communications just like this one could be banned!
The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) proposals could provide members of Congress with a green light to introduce and pass harmful drug policies while they are up for re-election. The proposals could make it against the law for the Alliance to run advertisements in a newspaper or send out email alerts like this one to try and stop harmful policies. Together, these proposals represent one of the worst assaults on the freedom of speech and association ever proposed in the United States.
1) <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17171> Fax Your Members of Congress. Tell them that you oppose FEC Advisory Opinion 2003-37 and IRS Revenue Ruling 2004-6 and that neither the IRS nor the FEC should restrict free speech. DO IT NOW. If you do not respond to this urgent alert, the controversial proposals will likely be adopted, endangering the future of the Alliance and all other political organizations working for freedom in America.
2) Forward this alert to friends and family.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The IRS and FEC are considering rulings that could severely restrict the free speech rights of the Drug Policy Alliance and other issue advocacy groups. The proposed rulings are vague in that they do not clearly state exactly which communications would be illegal. This means that the federal government could selectively enforce the rules in order to clamp down on any speech or advertising it does not approve of or considers politically threatening. Even though the Drug Policy Alliance does not endorse or oppose specific candidates for public office, the proposed IRS and FEC actions could hamper our efforts to contact fellow reformers like you about candidates' stances on drug policy reform issues during election campaigns. Any member of Congress up for re-election could be able to push their legislation into law without hearing the voice of the American people.
The IRS ruling (Revenue Ruling 2004-6) could penalize drug policy reform and other nonprofit organizations that are publicly critical of any elected official who is running for re-election. Non-profit educational organizations like the Drug Policy Alliance cannot work to defeat or support federal candidates, but can educate voters on where politicians stand on certain issues. So long as the Alliance and other organizations do not explicitly call for the defeat or re-election of a politician we do not run afoul of the law. However, Revenue Ruling 2004-6 muddies these regulations to make it illegal for advocacy group to do anything that the IRS determines to be an attempt at defeat or support of a candidate for federal office. The change appears minor but in fact makes the regulations more vague, giving the IRS a wide scope to call many advocacy-group actions illegal.
You can read the complex IRS ruling <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17172> here.
The FEC ruling (Advisory Opinion 2003-37) could prohibit the Alliance and other organizations from communicating any message - through e-mails, newspaper ads, television commercials or brochures - that "promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes" any candidate for federal office. It does this by re-defining the definition of a "campaign expenditure" to include communications that promote or attack federal candidates. Because the Alliance and similar non-profits are prohibited under existing law from making campaign expenditures, this ruling could make it illegal for us to send you e-mails criticizing the actions of a Member of Congress if they also happen to be running for re-election. Even sending you an e-mail saying that your Senator just voted the wrong way on a bill could become illegal. For instance, Senator Biden first introduced his controversial RAVE Act just a few months before the 2002 elections. Because he was up for re-election that year, it may have been illegal for the Alliance to alert you to the bill had the FEC and IRS rulings been in place then.
You can read the complex FEC ruling <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17173> here.
An essential part of the Alliance's work is to keep fellow reformers informed about the actions and votes of elected officials - whether a move by President Bush to crack down on medical marijuana or a Congressman's bill to mandate student drug testing. These proposals could severely limit our ability to do this and work to reform America's 'War on Drugs'.
<http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17171> Make Your Voice Heard <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17171> Take Action Now
<http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17179> Learn More
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/action/rule_dotted.gif>
Contact the Drug Policy Alliance:
Drug Policy Alliance
70 West 36th Street, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10018
For subscription problems please contact
Jeanette Irwin, Director, Internet Communications
<http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17180> jirwin@... | 202.216.0035
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif> <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
Action Request <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/action/tab_action_request.gif>
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
In this Alliance Action Network Alert we need you to:
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
Empty box to replace Action Icons <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/ImageLibrary/DPA/E2Action/icon_empty.gif> <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17171> Empty box to replace Action Icons <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/ImageLibrary/DPA/E2Action/icon_empty.gif>
Personal Action Center <http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/action/tab_personal_action_center.gif>
To view other actions, see actions you've completed, or edit your profile please visit the <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17181> Alliance Personal Action Center
<http://emailimages.ctsg.com/dpa/spacer.gif>
<http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17174> DrugPolicy.org | <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17187> Take Action | <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17188> Donate | <http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=17174&l=17182> Privacy Policy