Associated Press: Complaint alleges group funneled data from RNC to lawmakers

Associated Press: Complaint alleges group funneled data from RNC to lawmakers

ALEC could face additional legal jeopardy from complaints making similar allegations that the Center for Media and Democracy, in conjunction with the watchdog group Common Cause, says it is also filing with 15 Attorney General offices.

Washington (AP) — A prominent conservative group funneled valuable information about Republican voters between the Republican National Committee and state lawmakers, a move that violated its nonpartisan status and tax law, according to a whistleblower complaint filed Tuesday with the Internal Revenue Service.

The Center for Media and Democracy, a liberal group, filed the complaint against the American Legislative Exchange Council, which hosts conferences and provides model legislation to state legislators. It alleges that the council provides its 2,000 members, most of them Republican lawmakers, with data from a campaign vendor linked to the Republican National Committee, and that data ALEC members enter in the system goes directly to the RNC. ALEC does not provide similar information about Democratic voters.

As a nonpartisan nonprofit, ALEC cannot help candidates win elections. If the IRS finds the organization broke that pledge it could revoke its nonprofit status, which would be a financial blow to an organization that has served as the policy bedrock to the conservative swing in many states, providing blueprints for laws on energy, guns, education and more.

ALEC could face additional legal jeopardy from complaints making similar allegations that the Center for Media and Democracy, in conjunction with the watchdog group Common Cause, says it is also filing with 15 Attorney General offices.