Memo to Virginia Reporters on RSLC and 527 Financial Disclosures
Last Updated on Wednesday, 8 April 2009 02:24 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 8 April 2009 01:14
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2009
TO: Virginia Reporters
FROM: Carrie Cantrell
Director of Communications, Republican State Leadership Committee
DATE: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
RE: RSLC and 527 Financial Disclosures
As you know, a new group “Common Sense Virginia” has been established to attack former Republican Attorney General Bob McDonnell in his campaign for Governor. As a result, 527s and the involvement of the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) in the 2005 Virginia Attorney General race have subsequently been mentioned in two recent articles. It is important for you to understand our organization, how we report, the reforms we have supported, and the steps we have taken to be as transparent as possible.
Since 2002, the RSLC has been active in down-ballot races for Attorneys General, and has grown to include legislators, Lieutenant Governors and Secretaries of State. Unlike other 527 organizations that set up just for one election, we are a professionally run organization focused on making a national impact one state at a time through helping to increase the number of Republicans in these offices – building a farm team for the future.
We adhere to the campaign finance laws of all 50 states as well as to the federal laws as dictated through the IRS, where we publicly report all contributions and expenditures. In 2005, many state campaign finance laws, like Virginia’s, were not designed with groups like ours in mind. We have worked with various state elections authorities so that our organization and activities are transparent.
In 2005, our reporting deadlines to the IRS were not the same reporting deadlines as that of the Virginia campaign finance laws. The Republican State Leadership Committee supported the changes made to the Virginia campaign finance laws in 2006. The RSLC disclosed under those new laws as required during the 2007 legislative elections.
Because we are active in states across the country with varied disclosure timeframes, we voluntarily decided to publicly disclose our fundraising activity every month to the IRS. In stark contrast to our Democratic counterparts, the RSLC is as transparent as possible and there should be no speculation as to our activity in Virginia.
Our goal is to help Republicans win. Transparency supports that goal.
We appreciate your attention to this matter. Please let me know if you would like to discuss this further. You can reach me at 804.387.7617 or via email carrie@rslc.com.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/04/08/ST2009040802464.html