“[T]he proper course for the IRS is ‘to mend it, not end it.’”

The comments submitted by these three family foundations (Ottinger Foundation, The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund, and The Woodbury Fund) elegantly reflect the concerns of grantmakers that fund nonpartisan voter education, as well as charities seeking to “curb the corrupting influence of large moneyed interests on politics.”  They also emphasize the importance of continuing the rulemaking process as a means to achieve crucial government reforms:  “While some view the issues presented here as pitting good government against the First Amendment, that simply is not accurate.  Preventing abuse of tax-exempt status by partisan political operatives and safeguarding nonpartisan voter engagement by the nonprofit community are complementary and essential facets of our American constitutional democracy.”