Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Gotcha-

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 07:29:51 -0400

Does the following sound familiar?

* "Astroturf" is Beltway slang for fake grassroots organizations,
corporate-sponsored groups that lend pro-industry causes a veneer of moral
legitimacy.

(There sure is alot of "Astroturf in 02-55)

* "But I smelled a rat, particularly when I came across a piece of Congressional
testimony via Nexis in which an APT board member supported a pet bill of the Baby
Bell phone companies." 

(Congressional testimony??? Hmmmm??? I smell a BIGGER RAT...Who was that guy on
the Hill last week pushing a plan that would finanically benefit his company?)

* "My suspicions were affirmed when I tried to "990" the APT - that is, request
their tax forms. By law, non-profits that enjoy 501(c)3 tax-exempt status must furnish
their tax returns upon request. If they do not do so within 24 hours, they risk
losing their IRS classification. But when I asked the APT's executive director for
her tax info, I was at first rebuffed - if memory serves, the executive director's
words were, "We don't have to show you anything." Only when I threatened to report
the APT to the Internal Revenue Service was I furnished with the appropriate
forms, which revealed that the group was a subsidiary of Issue Dynamics, a
powerful lobbying firm that works on behalf of the Baby Bells."

Gotcha. 

(02-55 Astroturf's- Most Non-profits and Foundations Tax info is right on the net.
The "990" breaks down who spent what on what. I bet "Expenses" &
"Miscellaneous" line items are going to soar on their 2003 IRS filings should be VERY
interesting.)

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