Nonprofit Issues - Advocacy Blog

Advocacy Blog:

Advocacy Blog

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

AFJ Releases Report on Roberts
The Alliance for Justice just released a new report on John Roberts.

Check it out!

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 03:35:44 PM

Friday, August 26, 2005

N.C. Passes Lobbying Law
North Carolina lawmakers no longer would be able to leave public office and immediately become lobbyists under a bill (S.B. 612) approved by the state Legislature Aug. 24.

Under S.B. 612, which has been sent to Gov. Mike Easley (D) for his consideration, a "cooling off" period would be imposed for the first time on public officials in North Carolina before they could become lobbyists. The bill would require that former lawmakers and state officials wait at least six months before working as a lobbyist.

The pending lobbying reform bill also would extend lobbying restrictions imposed on contact with legislators to cover the lobbying of top executive branch officials.

The measure also would close a "goodwill loophole" by requiring the reporting of all spending, including gifts, of more than $10 to individual legislators. Currently, lobbyists may spend money on lawmakers as long as specific legislation is not discussed.

S.B. 612 also would require more frequent disclosures of lobbying activities and increase penalties for violating state lobbying laws.

Currently, lobbyists must report on their expenditures to the secretary of state twice a year. The pending bill would require monthly reports when the Legislature is in session and quarterly when it is not meeting.

In April, a report by a public interest group found that North Carolina's restrictions on lobbyists were among the loosest in the Southeast. A bipartisan group of individuals and organizations has been urging the state Legislature to tighten the state's lobbying laws.

If approved by Easley, the bulk of the lobbying reform bill's provisions would become effective Jan. 1, 2007.

For more information

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 12:02:34 PM

Thursday, August 25, 2005

DKT Sues Agency over Prostitution Requirement
A U.S.-based family-planning charity is formally challenging Washington's "anti-prostitution" policy, calling it an unconstitutional infringement of speech that is undermining international efforts to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS. The group, DKT International, filed its lawsuit in district court against the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its administrator, challenging the requirement that U.S. and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving USAID funding adopt a policy "explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking".

No one pretends that [the US anti-prostitution policy] will contain or ameliorate the darker aspects of the world's oldest profession. It represents posturing by American politicians who are increasingly seen around the world as patronizing, bullying, and obsessed with sex.

USAID adopted the rule requirement in June, as one of a number of policies advocated by the "pro-life" religious right. Other George W. Bush administration initiatives include endorsement of the so-called Mexico Protocol, which forbids abortion counseling in family planning programs overseas.

U.S. observance of the protocol -- termed "the global gag rule" by family planning professionals -- was rescinded during the Bill Clinton administration (1992-2000) but reauthorized by Bush on his first day in office in January 2001.

Under the rule, foreign family planning agencies may not receive U.S. funds if, with their own funds, they counsel on or refer for abortion, advocate for more lenient abortion laws in their own country, or provide abortion services.

DKT's president, Philip D. Harvey, said the anti-prostitution and sex trafficking policy "does a grave disservice to international AIDS-prevention programs and to those who carry them out. The policy does no good, and is clearly doing considerable harm."

He told IPS, "I have found that non-governmental organizations around the world really despise this anti-prostitution pledge. In addition to making their work harder, it undermines their integrity, insults them really."

For more on this story...

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 01:07:38 PM

Monday, August 22, 2005

Nonprofit Sues US Gov't for Retracting Grant on Bias
DKT International, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent HIV/AIDS worldwide, has sued the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for its retraction of a grant when DKT refused to sign a pledge opposing sex work. In June, DKT applied for a $60,000 subgrant to market condom lubricants in Vietnam. The grant was initially approved, but rescinded when DKT refused to sign the pledge.

DKT alleges that the policy violates its First Amendment right to free speech. Founder Philip Harvey told the Wall Street Journal "The government cannot tell us what policies to have." Jodi Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, submitted a statement in support of the lawsuit, pointing out the dilemma health groups face in being forced to condemn sex work to receive US funding, while also attempting to gain the trust of prostitutes and clients in order to build effective HIV prevention programs. “These policies run contrary to best practices in public health and will undermine efforts to stem the spread of HIV and human trafficking,” she wrote. DKT has asked the court to prevent USAID’s withdrawal of funds, pending a ruling in the case.

This suit is the latest battle over the strings attached to US foreign aid. In May, Brazil declined $40 million in aid rather than sign the anti-prostitution pledge.

Happens more often than you know. See our Thousand Cuts II report for more information...

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 04:16:16 PM

Utah TV Station Refuses to Air Anti-War Ad
A Utah television station is refusing to air an anti-war ad bought by Gold Star Families for Peace, featuring Cindy Sheehan, whose son's death in Iraq prompted a vigil outside President Bush's Texas ranch.

The ad began airing on other area stations Saturday, two days before Bush was scheduled to speak in Salt Lake City to the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

In the ad, Sheehan pleads with Bush for a meeting and accuses him of lying to the American people about Iraq's development of weapons of mass destruction and its connection to al-Qaida.

However, a national sales representative for KTVX, a local ABC affiliate, rejected the ad in an e-mail to media buyers, writing that it was an "inappropriate commercial advertisement for Salt Lake City."

For more on this story.

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 01:55:59 PM

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Ney Criticizes Common Cause for Failure to File LDA Rept.
Common Cause, a political reform organization that has frequently criticized Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) and other House Republican leaders, was itself blasted by Ney for a lapse in filing a lobbying disclosure report due earlier this year.

Ney said a delay by Common Cause in filing a report under the Lobbying Disclosure Act proved that procedural changes are needed, including a move to electronic filing of lobbying reports.

"With over 200 Members of Congress, Democrat and Republicans, reporting problems with their travel disclosure reports and now even self-described 'watchdogs' like Common Cause failing to file their lobbying disclosure forms for nearly six months after the deadline, it is clear that our decision to move towards electronic filing was the right one," Ney said in an Aug. 15 statement.

Common Cause acknowledged that it mistakenly failed to file a year-end 2004 LDA report due last February. The report, indicating $100,000 worth of lobbying activity, was filed this month as Common Cause prepared its mid-year 2005 report. The mid-year LDA reports were due Aug. 15.

Posted by Jennifer Lowe, 09:27:40 AM

Latest Entries by Theme

All Themes

Faith-Based Initiative

Elections and Issue Advocacy

Church Electioneering

Nonprofit Accountability

Charitable Giving

Speech and Lobbying Rights

Grants Streamlining

Charities and Security

General