Secretive Group Attacks Teachers Unions

Republicans describe Independent Source PAC as a “shadow group” and “shady.”

I’m not sure the shoes fit. After all, we know Independent Source PAC is headed by a longtime Democratic operative and that its targets are conservatives like GOP Gov. Susana Martinez.

We also know, from disclosures by Independent Source PAC filed with the state and the Federal Election Commission, that the Albuquerque-based PAC gets most of its money from organized labor.

Now let’s contrast that with what we know — and what we don’t know — about a group called the State Government Leadership Foundation that has popped up in New Mexico.

The Virginia-based foundation, which is running a TV ad against teachers unions here and in five other states, is registered as a 501(c)(4), or tax-exempt social welfare organization, with the Internal Revenue Service.

As a 501(c)(4), the State Government Leadership Foundation can engage in political activity but — unlike a PAC — doesn’t have to disclose its donors with the FEC or the state.

The foundation says on its website that it promotes conservative policies and “is dedicated to educating policymakers and the public about the benefits of smaller government, lower taxes, balanced budgets and efficiency in governing.”

The foundation is the policy arm of the Republican State Leadership Committee, also based in Virginia, which works to get Republicans elected to state offices.

The committee’s PAC in New Mexico, in a finance report filed last month with the Secretary of State’s Office, reported giving $10,000 to Martinez’s PAC in March.

The board of the Republican State Leadership Committee is chaired by communications strategist Ed Gillespie, a senior adviser to presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee.

The 30-second TV ad by the State Government Leadership Foundation is titled “Teachers Unions: Bullying Our Kids.”

The ad opens with schoolchildren running from a man dressed in black and with the words “union official” on his jacket. He is later seen counting $20 bills.

Teachers unions “are bullies and they’re destroying our children’s future,” the ad says. “These bullies make hundreds of thousands of dollars and protect failing teachers” and “block education reforms,” it says.

The ad doesn’t advocate for the election or defeat of any candidate, but it could reasonably be interpreted as support for Martinez and other conservatives on the issue of education reform.

The TV ad campaign started Monday in New Mexico and the other states, according to Sarah Lenti, senior policy adviser at the State Government Leadership Foundation.

The ad is due to run for about another week, but the campaign could be extended, Lenti said.

She declined to say how much the campaign cost but said the foundation spent “over six figures” on TV time and ad space on the Internet.

Lenti said the group doesn’t plan to voluntarily disclose its donors or expenditures but added that the foundation, as a 501(c)(4), must spend the majority of its revenues on its social welfare mission of advocating for conservative policies.

The Republican State Leadership Committee doesn’t provide financial support to the foundation, she said.

The State Government Leadership Foundation isn’t the first group and surely won’t be the last to engage in political activity in New Mexico without disclosing its donors.

Groups on the left and right are taking part this election year in a spending free-for-all that has been made possible in part by federal court rulings and IRS rules for tax-exempt organizations.

“Shadowy” and “shady” will be good words to describe the groups that keep their donors secret.

UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Thom Cole at tcole@abqjournal.com or 505-992-6280 in Santa Fe. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
— This article appeared on page A1 of the Albuquerque Journal