Is the Mormon Church Hiding Its Funding of the National Organization for Marriage?

Maggie Gallagher's National Organization for Marriage (NOM) Refuses to
Turn Over Its Federal Financial Records as Required by Law.

Open Letter to NOM President Maggie Gallagher:

Californians Against Hate began requesting your 990s (IRS non-profit tax filings) over three months ago, Maggie. You have not responded as required by law. We visited your national office in Princeton , N.J. twice to view the Form 990s, and sent our requests there by certified mail.

Someone at that address signed the US Postal Service receipt on April 25, 2009. You then had 30 days to comply with our request, but you still have not sent us your federal tax flings for 2007 and 2008.

We have also been to your "office" in Manassas , VA , and no forms there either, Maggie. It looks to be the home of your Treasurer, Neil Corkery. The Corkerys are apparently traveling around the world, and again, the forms are not available for public inspection as required by federal law.

Are you trying to hide all the involvement by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) who we believe created and funded the National Organization for Marriage, Inc.? That is exactly what the California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating (Case # 08/735) right now.

As you are probably aware, the IRS fine for noncompliance is $20.00 per day for every day that you do not turn over your records up to a total of $10,000. For the 92 days so far, you owe the United States Treasury $1,840. While that won't put much of a dent in the national debt, it is what you owe the government so far in fines. Frankly, Maggie, we are tired of waiting, and are exploring other actions to force the release of your filings.

In another very interesting development, we received a letter from the IRS last week in response to the request that we filed with them on May 6, 2009 for your Form 990s. The IRS said that, "we have no record of any organization by the name (National Organization for Marriage, Inc.) or address ( 20 Nassau Street, Ste. 242 , Princeton , N.J 08542). Now, can you explain that?? They do have a record of your Educational Fund, the 501(c)3, but that apparently was just established last year. NOM, Inc. was established in May 2007 to get Prop 8 on the ballot, so there should be 2 annual filings available on NOM, Inc.

Maggie, why don't you do the right thing and release your 2007 and 2008 form 990s? Just what is in there about your funding and expenditures that you don't want people to see?

A recent Washington Post story had this to say about the Mormon Church's involvement in the same-sex marriage battles in six Northeastern States.

Mormon officials have tried to stay out of the controversy that followed the California vote, when the church's prominent role in the marriage fight became clear. A spokeswoman in Salt Lake City declined to say whether the church is involved in debates going on in states such as New Jersey and New York , except to say that leaders remain intent on preserving the "divine institution" of marriage between man and woman. The faith holds that traditional marriage "transcends this world" and is necessary for "the fullness of joy in the next life."

That admission by the Mormon Church raises many more questions.

Who is paying for your multi million dollar TV campaign? Who is funding your $500,000 New York State PAC? Your California PAC? Who is paying for all the direct mail robo-calls and millions of direct connect calls in New York alone? Where did you get the $6 million that you admit to spending as reported this week in your hometown newspaper, The Journal News: www.LoHud.com?

How much are you and your executive director Brian Brown getting paid? Is the Mormon Church paying you directly or through another one of your other organizations like the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy

Is the Mormon Church producing all of your slick new commercials? Your controversial and often-maligned "A Gathering Storm" commercial that was made using actors pretending to be real people was chock full of Mormon actors, mostly from Arizona . Most of the bad actors on your audition tapes appear to be Mormon as well. We have that documented.

Just how much money is the Mormon Church spending now to fight same-sex marriage in at least 7 states? Mormon families spent close to $30 million in California to pass Proposition 8 last year. The Mormon Church has likely spent tens of millions of dollars directly throughout the country on all their efforts to stop gay marriage since they hired the world's largest PR firm, Hill and Knowlton, in 1988. It even appears that the Mormon Church, through its Public Affairs Committee, was monitoring same-sex marriage activities and involved in Canada as well.

We know that the Mormon Church has not been truthful about all of its involvement in opposing same-sex marriage for 20 years. We have seen ample evidence of this in the Church documents that we received.

When we filed our complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission last November, Mormon Church officials first said they spent "zero dollars on Prop 8." Then 3 months after the election, they finally admitted to have made $190,000 in non-monetary contributions. Nearly all of that was supposedly spent the week before the election.

They later changed their story again, saying that the $117,000 reported in Salt Lake City staff time ($96,000) and facilities' usage ($20,500) was not actually spent just on election day as they had reported to the California Secretary of State. According to Church spokesman Scott Trotter, the staff time included work between August and November. Well, then shouldn't there have been other expenditures in August or even July and September? Come on Maggie, tell the truth!

The Mormon Church announced its active participation to pass Proposition 8 in the now famous letter read from Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church. This rare act took place on June 29, 2008, and was read to every Mormon in the Western United States. President Monson called on all Mormons to give of "your time and your means to pass Proposition 8."

Well, it worked. As we now know, the Mormon Church took over every aspect of the Yes on 8 campaign, and was largely responsible for its passage.

Please, Maggie, tell America the truth for once about where your millions of dollars are coming from. We are a country of laws, and we have the right to know.

Comments

[William Graybill]

Anyone can join a church or a cult - it's a choice.

Someday in the future science will prove that you're born gay. It's not a choice.

If it's not a 'choice' it doesn't matter what someone else's god or leader says, it will be a matter of civil rights and the big box religions of the world will have to find a new common enemy to vilify. Odd that they all claim that God is love, but fail to act accordingly.

[superstition]

It doesn't matter even if it's a choice (which it clearly is not... there is no real debate on this). Why doesn't it matter?

Religion is a federally protected category (anti-disc­rimination laws) and religion is a matter of choice.

[ReedYoung]

Also, pursuit of happiness is one of three fundamental, "unalienable rights" explicitly forming the basis of our entire legal system. Choice is inherent in pursuit of happiness; without the Pleasure Principle to guide us, we'd be indifferent to the distinct options and most "choices" would be left to random chance, by default. Choice is obviously part and parcel of humanity, never a rational basis for assessing any penalty unless *what* we choose interferes with others' enjoyment of their rights, as the passage of Prop 8 does.

[skene]

I am LDS and I await with interest the outcome of the CFPC investigation - Case 08/735.
Mormons should respect the civil rights of those who do not share LDS religious beliefs.

[superstition]

"Mormons should respect the civil rights of those who do not share LDS religious beliefs."

Good idea. Unfortunately, we've seen via Prop 8 that they, as a whole, and Catholics.­.. don't.

[bannorhill]

Mormons respect civil rights. Same sex marriage has NEVER been ruled a civil right in Federal Courts.

Californians against hate hall of shame does not list the Mormon Church as contributing to support Prop 8.

[crrush]

I too am LDS, though no longer active. The teachings of the LDS church are beautiful when not distorted, but I can no longer participate. Too much meddling in politics, too much oppression of those who choose a different lifestyle, too much support for war, too little care (call it stewardship) for the earth. Somewhere, some time in my life, it all changed. Or... maybe I did.

[MiddleRed]

Keep on them. Keep the IRS involved. Get the attorney generals in every state involved. If they didn't file their 990's, they are in HUGE TROUBLE. Something stinks to high heaven here, and it's not just "magic underwear".

[Paulied]

A $10,000 fine is a drop in the bucket to these people. It's time to raise the stakes ; have a court subpoena these records from NOM. With the LDS's tax exempt status on the line you can bet there's going to be some behind the scenes scrambling from them. This always leaves a paper trail, so get the forensic accountants ready. Take them all down.

[SUIGENEROUSLA]

Call the New Jersey AG. They must be violating state non-profit laws there. NJ people please chime in.

[scottowego]

I just wrote out AG here in NY.

[TryToBeFlexible]

Maggie and the Mormon church will lie lie lie to protect their funds and tax status. How honorable. What high moral rectitude.