Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h71J64722882; Fri, 1 Aug 2003 15:06:04 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2003 15:06:04 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <AFF464EF-C452-11D7-BDF9-000393ABE4D2@litwomen.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "mev@litwomen.org" <mev@litwomen.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:1210] Re: definition of lobbyingColleagues, X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.552) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 2500 Lines: 64 in IRS non-profit law, non-profits are unable to hire lobbyists to advocate for legislation or to support candidates, however, less than 10% of budget can be spent on informing members about important legislation and educating them as to what it means and encouraging them to contact their representatives. I'm not sure if this is Hatch or not or if regulations are different for actual federal agencies...but if it's similar to n-p law, it seems members discussing among themselves the virtues of particular legislation is NOT lobbying, but rather a critical discussion among colleagues in a general public arena on issues of relevant importance. my 2 cents. Mev On Friday, August 1, 2003, at 08:39 AM, George E. Demetrion wrote: > Colleagues: > > A while back, there was some discussion about the illegitimacy of > utilizing the NIFL airwaves for purposes of lobbying. Unfortunately, > the > definition and parameters of what lobbying consists of remains vague. > > As I understand it, the lobbying issue is based on the Hatch Act. I > could be wrong about that, and if so, I would like to be corrected. > > However, as I understand the Hatch Act, it principally prohibits use of > federal funds for advocacy related to political elections. > > I scanned the Hatch Act once, some time ago, and didn't see any > reference > to advocacy in support or against specific legislation. It may be > there > and if so, I'd like to be informed. Even if it is not, one might draw > a > reasonable inference (from a loose rather than tight construction of > the > law) that such advocacy for or against legislation violates the sprit > of > the Hatch Act. But even there, unless it is specifically in the Act, > that would be an assumption that would need vigorous public discussion > than simply assumed. > > In any event, when one gets to the point of analogizing US foreign > policy > (and foreign policy is almost always linked to domestic policy, and > that > is the point), unless I'm reading it wrong, it is a very large stretch > to > prohibit such discussions based on the mandate against lobbying. > > Now, perhaps that specific case can be made, but if so, we have not > heard > it here or claimed as NIFL-based policy. What we have is a general > mandate against lobbying, but a very vague definition of what lobbing > is > and the basis upon which it is prohibited. > > The mandates of civic literacy require clarification on this matter. > > George Demetrion > > >
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