Group smearing Gore lied to IRS, lobbied to shut down public golf courses

By Jackson Thoreau

As many suspect, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, the group that is smearing Al Gore for supposedly flying in jets and living in big homes as he educates people about the perils of global warming, doesn't mind telling a few lies.

Even to the IRS.

I dug out the group's 2005 IRS return, which can seen here.

The group claimed on its signed tax statement to not have lobbied on a national, state or local issue to influence public opinion.

Yet, this 2005 article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press shows how that is not accurate, as it details the group lobbying the state to privatize or shut down public golf courses. Golf courses are a key issue among elitist conservatives, you know.

December 17, 2005 Saturday
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. b2
LENGTH: 602 words
HEADLINE: Group wants state out of golf business
BYLINE: Ian Berry, Staff Writer
Tennessee this month assumed control of four state-owned golf courses, including one at Harrison Bay State Park. That brings the number of state courses to 12, which one group says is 12 too many.
The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a group that promotes conservative economic policies, has singled out the state courses as its "monthly misuse" for December. The group said the courses are losing money and should be privatized or shut down.
"They honestly would be better as grazing land for deer," said Drew Johnson, the group's executive director......
http://www.timesfreepress.com/...

The group also failed to fill out its top officers as required. The IRS requires groups to list officers, directors and "key employees" such as the president and executive director.

The group's 2005 tax return claims $104,908 in revenues and $76,673 in expenses, including roughly $5,000 for meals, $6,000 for "marketing," $3,000 for travel, $3,000 for legal expenses - and only $18 for research materials and $24 for printing and publications.

So you have a supposed non-partisan "policy research" organization spending only $42 for publications and research materials as thousands are spent on food, travel and unspecified marketing and legal expenses. That doesn't sound like a legitimate non-partisan research institute to me.

•  lol

  Shut down the public golf courses! I don't want those damn commoners to be able to beat me at golf! Join a Country Club like the rest of us!

  by dennisl on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 02:52:32 PM PDT

  •  public golf courses = socialism

    This is the same group that criticizes Gore for making people aware of a legitimately important issue such as global warming, while campaigning for.......those damn public golf courses! What a nuisance those courses are for us elitists who like to play at the private country clubs as most patriotic Americans do!

    by jacksonthor on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 03:08:02 PM PDT

    •  There is a water issue

      when it comes to courses. Seeing all that lush green grass in the middle of deserts makes my ecologically-minded-self cringe.

      by SeattleLiberal on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 03:50:01 PM PDT

•  Nice sleuthing n/t

  by Aeolus on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 02:52:34 PM PDT

•  Now send it to the IRS with the info

  you have in your diary and a letter spelling it out.  Request they check into the mater.

  by Owllwoman on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 02:59:22 PM PDT

•  And this just in, courtesy CNN:

  A "some say..." attack on Gore, featuring a filmed spokespersonnewt from this slimy organization, and only a text reply from the Gore camp.

  CNN made no mention of the offset issue, although they did mention the "green power" purchases.

  Overall, they left viewers with the strong, unmistakable impression that what "some say" about Gore being hypocritical is the truth.

  I hate those CNN slimebuckets! Every time I think they can't do a worse job, they reach into the FoxNews play book and surprise me!

  by pat208 on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 03:06:16 PM PDT

  •  CNN = Fox Lite

    Basically the same - but CNN acts like it is better for you than Fox. MSNBC is a little better.

    by jacksonthor on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 03:41:04 PM PDT

•  Sounds like they researched

  a lot of menus. Probably afraid Al Gore will curtail bbq grills. Stop that man and pass the ribs.

  by java4every1 on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 03:07:14 PM PDT

•  Great Work n/t

  by Gary Norton on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 03:26:52 PM PDT

•  I wish Ed Schultz

  had had some of this info today when he interview an asshat from this stinktank.

  by Radiowalla on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 04:16:20 PM PDT

•  IRS standards are different

  For various reasons, the IRS has a very narrow definition of lobbying.  If Heritage Foundation can retain a 501(c)(3) exemption, these guys probably can, too.

  I had looked through their 990 the other day, and it's truly awful.  The accountant that put it together is a hack.

  by burrow owl on Tue Feb 27, 2007 at 05:43:25 PM PDT