[Green] Another League of Women Voters statement relevant to our forum

[Adeline Bailey]

Hello, Green friends,
I'm not a legal scholar, but I think our proposed forum falls into the category of an educational program. We are as an organization to be neutral and nonpartisan, not to indicate support for any candidate or political party or particular opinion on the topics and/or questions and answers (so maybe no red and green cards?). We are giving candidates the opportunity to give their views, and we are giving prospective voters an opportunity to learn what the candidates support or oppose, without comment.
I think FLMR is concerned about maintaining their 501c3 status with the IRS, and I think their co-sponsors status is still OK if we keep everything neutral. The LWV statement has a link to the IRS rules for charitable tax exempt organizations sponsoring educational programs (on which they based their statement), and from my reading of it I think they're in the clear.
What I haven't found so far is any info from the FEC about nonpartisan educational events with federal candidates and empty chair situations. Anybody have a link?
Dawn, any response from Robin?
Adeline

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
On Sep 5, 2018 11:56 AM, gbanz42--- via Green <green at fuusm.org> wrote:
>
> Dawn:
>
>      This LWV policy is very strict. It rules out my previous suggestion about a representative the candidate by saying that no "stand-ins or substitutes" will be allowed.
>
>      Are we safe in assuming that this "empty-chair" policy only applies to candidates for federal office--U.S. House of Representatives or U.S. Senate?
>
> ---- Dawn Hewitt via Green <green at fuusm.org> wrote: 
> > http://lwvabcmn.org/files/lwvmnemptychairpolicybackground.pdf <http://lwvabcmn.org/files/lwvmnemptychairpolicybackground.pdf>
> > 
> > Advice, please!!
> > 
> > —dawn
>
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