Complaint Filed Against The National Organization for Marriage (NOM)

COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE (NOM) WITH THE CALIFORNIA FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION (FPPC) BY FRED KARGER Â– APRIL 13, 2012

National Organization for Marriage did not report Governor Mitt RomneyÂ’s Contribution to its Â“Yes on Proposition 8 CampaignÂ” in 2008.

Recently unsealed documents by a federal judge from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) indicate possible illegal campaign activities by the National Organization for Marriage in California.Â It appears that NOM attempted to hide a $10,000 contribution from Governor Mitt Romney in 2008.

NOM, acting via Â“National Organization for Marriage California Â– Yes on 8, Sponsored by National Organization for MarriageÂ” is a primarily formed recipient committee that supported Proposition 8 in 2008.Â As a primarily formed recipient committee, NOM is required to report all receipts and disbursements.

Exhibit 1 is a copy of the 2008 Federal Tax Return (Form 990) of the National Organization for Marriage.Â It shows a $10,000 contribution received from Governor RomneyÂ’s Alabama PAC Â“Free and Strong America.Â”Â That $10,000 was not reported on NOMÂ’s filing with the California Secretary of State.

Exhibit 2 is page 3 of Governor RomneyÂ’s 2008 filing of his Alabama Free and Strong America PAC, as required by Alabama law.Â It shows a $10,000 contribution to the National Organization for Marriage on October 14, 2008, less than three weeks before the 2008 election.

NOM did not report that contribution on any of its filings with the California Secretary of State in 2008 or 2009.Â Â Contributions larger and smaller received by NOM earlier and later in October 2008 appear to all be reported, but the Romney PAC contribution was not.Â There is also no record of NOM filing the mandatory 90-day election cycle report triggered by Governor RomneyÂ’s PAC contribution.

Exhibit 3 is the link to NOMÂ’s 2008 report with the California Secretary of State that shows that the National Organization for Marriage did not report the Romney PAC contribution.

It appears that the National Organization for Marriage attempted to hide the Romney PAC contribution because of the significant attention that it would have received.

I hereby request that the California Fair Political Practices Commission investigate this irregularity to determine if the National Organization for Marriage conspired with Governor RomneyÂ’s Alabama Free and Strong America PAC to hide his $10,000 contribution to its Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign.

Exhibit 1

The National Organization for Marriage reported the Romney Alabama PAC contribution on its 2008 Federal Tax Return which was recently discovered as a result of unsealed NOM documents by a Federal Judge:
http://thinkprogress.org/progress-report/revealed-mitt-romneys-secret-donation-to-race-baiting-nom/?mobile=nc