For politics, not for profit

Groups that favor tougher campaign finance restrictions are, again, imploring the IRS to limit 501(c)4s' political involvement:

Two campaign finance reform organizations are calling on the Internal Revenue Service to revoke the tax-exempt status of four non-profit organizations heavily engaged in national politics.
The groups are the Republican-leaning Crossroads GPS and American Action Network, the Democratic-leaning Priorities USA, as well as the nonpartisan Americans Elect. All fall under the IRS’ 501(c)(4) code — broadly defined as social welfare organizations that should not have a primary purpose of engaging in politics – and therefore aren’t required to disclose their source donors.
“These groups are misusing and abusing the tax laws at the expense of the American people. It is clear that these groups have little, if anything, to do with promoting ‘social welfare’ and everything to do with electing and defeating candidates,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21. “It is incumbent on the IRS to put a stop to this charade and to act promptly to protect the integrity and credibility of the tax laws and the interests of the American people.”

These laws are currently enforced about as heavily as the ban on jay-walking in Manhattan, and the IRS has shown a certain skittishness about the political fray.