`527' Organizations Identified
"527" organizations are political groups that do not have to report their contributors or spending to the Federal Election Commission as long as they do not expressly call for the defeat or election of specific candidates. These issue advocacy groups are difficult to track. The political watchdog groups Common Cause and the Center for Public Integrity have identified the following:
| Americans for Economic Growth | News reports have linked an associate of House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, RTexas, with the group, which has run issue ads attacking vulnerable Democrats. DeLay denies involvement with the group, which was named in a Democratic lawsuit against DeLay. |
| Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities | Founded by Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, the group wants to cut spending for the Pentagon and increase spending for schools and health care. |
| The Christian Coalition | The coalition's 527 arm was created in 1999 after the IRS charged the group with crossing the line into express political advocacy. It produces voter guides and political scorecards. |
| Citizens for Better Medicare | Largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry, the group is spending about $25 million to $30 million on political ads promoting GOP plans to include prescription drug coverage in Medicare. |
| Citizens for Reform | The group is affiliated with Triad Management Services, a conservative consulting firm. It ran ads in 1997 attacking Wisconsin Democratic Sens. Russell D. Feingold and Herb Kohl, specifically for their stances against banning a controversial abortion procedure known by opponents as "partial birth" abortion. |
| Citizens for the Republic Education Fund | Affiliated with Triad, the group in 1998 spent about $200,000 on ads that were critical of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. |
| Citizens for the Republican Congress | Formed by former Rep. Pat Saiki, R-Hawaii (1987-91), the group plans to promote GOP issues in 30 districts this year. |
| The Club for Growth | The membership organization was founded by National Review President Thomas L. "Dusty" Rhodes, Wall Stree broker Richard Gilder and Stephen Moore, whois on leave from the Cato Institute. It is deicated to "helping elect candiates who are advocates of the Reagan vision of limited government and lower taxes." according to the Web site. |
| Committee for New American Leadership | Founded by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. (1979-99), the group is working to elect candidates who believe the combined "tax burden on any taxpayer should be no more than 25 percent, that the Social Security system should be personalized, and that in the 21 st Century the United States has a crucial leadership role in the world," according to its Web site. |
| League of Conservation Voters | The league uses its "527" arm to promote candidates it sees as environmental "champions." |
| Peace Voter Fund | The group plans to use phone banks and voter guides to promote disarmament and human rights. |
| The Republican Leadership Coalition | Founded by Scott Reed, campaign manager of former Sen. Bob Dole's
1996 White House bid, the group is conducting research and running issue ads aimed at winning Hispanic support for the GOP. |
| Republicans for Clean Air | Formed by Texas entrepreneurs Sam and Charles Wyly, strong backers of Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the group ran ads before key March primaries attacking Bush's challenger, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for his environmental record. |
| Republican Majority Issues Commiee | DeLay has raised money for the group, which aims to spend $25 million on voter registration and issue ads to counter labor union efforts in behalf of Democrats. |
| Saving America's Families Everyday | House GOP Conference Chairman J.C. Watts Jr., R-Okla., is a major fundraiser for the group, which conducts polls for Republicans. |
| Shape the Debate | Staffed by aides to former California Gov. Pete Wilson, a Republican, the group ran ads attacking Vice President AI Gore, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, on campaign fundraising, Medicare and tobacco. |
| The Sierra Club | The organization uses its "527" arm to run issue ads on the environment. It is expected to target Bush's environmental record and to run ads in more than 20 congressional districts this year. |
| The US Families Network | Staffed by former DeLay aides, the group gathered $1.3 million in donations from five donors in 1998 and used the funds to further such causes as an overturn of the 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion and limits on estate taxes. |