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“Chairman Chaffetz and others in and outside of Congress who are preventing the IRS from doing its job are pulling another stunt to divert public and press attention from the real IRS scandal: the agency’s failure to set out clear guidance on the limits -- for tax purposes -- of political activity by social welfare organizations.

The Federal Election Commission should revamp its rules governing political fundraising and spending to give voters a fuller picture of who is spending money to influence their votes, Common Cause said in a written submission to the FEC on Tuesday.

“The side-show around Lois Lerner is no longer an excuse for the IRS's failure to provide clear guidance on the limits -- for tax purposes -- of political activity by social welfare organizations. There’s a direct link between the ‘mismanagement, poor judgment and institutional inertia’ identified by the Justice Department today and the IRS’ loophole-ridden regulations on campaign-related political activities by ‘social welfare’ nonprofit organizations. It's long past time to rewrite and reform these rules.

Political organizations posing as “social welfare” nonprofits and pumping hundreds of millions of dollars from hidden donors into political campaigns are depriving voters of information they need to make decisions on Election Day, a Common Cause attorney told senators today.

Common Cause Urges Independent Audit of Donations to Clinton Foundation

Common Cause called on prospective presidential candidates today to abide by the nation’s campaign finance laws and follow rules governing fundraising while “testing the waters” for a 2016 campaign.