Dark money secrets: NRA, Planned Parenthood & others can now conceal donors

Great news for the NRA and other non-profits looking to hide their influence on US democracy: Dark money political organizations will no longer have to disclose where their money is coming from, the Treasury Department announced.

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced Monday that politically active nonprofit groups like the NRA and Planned Parenthood will no longer need to file “personally-identifiable information”about their donors in their annual returns. It described the process as an“unnecessary reporting requirement.”

While nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt due to to their charitable, educational or religious status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code still have to provide information about their donors, other 501(c) tax exempt organizations like social-welfare focused groups and trade associations no longer need to do so.

The Treasury Department said the policy will reduce the risk of “inadvertent disclosure” or misuse of confidential information, which it said is an “especially important safeguard for organizations engaged in free speech and free association protected by the First Amendment.” It also said “conservative tax-exempt groups were disproportionately impacted by improper screening”under the Obama administration.

The move is likely to be cheered by wealthy donors and conservatives who have long accused the policy of subjecting conservative groups to more scrutiny.

One influential group to gain from the new rule is the NRA, which is classed as a social welfare organization and spent $35 million on elections in 2016 through its NRA Institute for Legislative Action arm, and $54.4 million in total. Others include groups created by the billionaire Charles and David Koch brothers, and the liberal America Votes and Patriot Majority USA. 

These politically active nonprofit groups can participate in political campaigns so long as it isn’t their primary activity. The groups can accept unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations and can also give funds to other nonprofits, which doesn’t count as political spending. This money is often funneled into campaign super PACs, allowing wealthy donors to circumvent individual campaign contribution limits. These groups are also a handy way for corporations and individuals to donate to causes they may not wish to be publicly associated with.

Such groups have risen since the 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United ruling that opened the doors for unlimited spending on political activities.

Streaming service deletes 600k accounts in 60 days amid epidemic of child sexual exploitation

Live-streaming app LiveMe has deleted 600,000 accounts of children under the age of 13 in the last 60 days since media reports emerged that pedophiles were using the service to exploit underage users.

The app, which has been downloaded more than 90 million times, shares the user's location and allows users to search for who is streaming near them. A Fox News affiliate in Los Angeles revealed in May that underage girls who use the service were being regularly solicited by predators to perform sexual acts on camera.

According to the news outlet, one girl was confronted by her mother after police received reports that she had been ordered by predators watching her stream to pull her top up and perform a sexual act on her friend.

Police were alerted to the live stream by a group called Sheepdog Bloodhound, a group of volunteers from around the world who monitor LiveMe in an effort to try to report and prevent child exploitation.

"The child had been online with a friend and inappropriate, showing herself, showing her body, basically doing what the predators had asked her to do," said Paul Irwin, the leader of Sheepdog Bloodhound. "In most cases, shall we say 90 percent, the families have no idea what their youth are doing now."

One girl who spoke with the Fox affiliate explained how the abuse occurs.

"We go live, and we're just bored and we get no comments," the girl said. "But then the predators coming in and enticing them, and then they'll give a gift, and that's when we're like 'oh, you're paying attention to me so I'll do whatever they want me to do and I want those gifts."

The minimum age for using LiveMe is 13, and the company says that it hopes to delete all users under 13 within the next two months. The streaming service is also implementing a safety program staffed by 1,000 volunteers, and it says it is working on improvements to its AI systems, which can help detect and report child exploitation.

‘Can she take a beating?’ Tory minister resigns after bizarre, perverted sexting exposé

Married Tory minister, Andrew Griffiths has resigned after it was revealed he sent more than 2000 explicit messages to a barmaid in his constituency, hounding her and a female friend for sex and insisting they call him “Daddy.”

MP for Burton Griffiths, who was minister for small business, quit his cabinet position on Sunday after barmaid Imogen Treharne, 28 and also from Burton, told the Sunday Mirror that he had demanded explicit photos and videos from her and a friend over a three-week period.

’s alleged the 47-year-old man, who became a new dad in April, described degrading sex acts using crude detail in Whatsapp messages. The paper reports Griffiths gave Treharne and her pal £700 and offered to pay for the rent of a flat in which to have sex.

Griffiths, who insisted on being called “Daddy,” promised money if he received naughty pictures from the female pair, and described perverted and rough sex he claimed to have had with other women.

A selection of Whatsapp messages include:

“I’m thinking maybe we need a flat for Daddy’s girls. I’m taken by you both. You girls are spectacular.”

“I’m going to bring you to London and do whatever I want to you.”

“Take off the bra and panties… you’ve got Daddy in such a frenzy.”

“I’m going to need something filthy to put a smile on my face. I want to see you both naked.”

The Sunday Mirror says there are other messages sent by the MP for Burton, too disgusting to print in full, that describe his penchant for certain sexual acts.

Messages like this one from Griffiths: “I want you to be really * rough with *** [the girl]. The video of you spanking her was nowhere near hard enough. Can she take a beating? I have to be slightly careful in my job.”

There have been calls for the now ex-minister to resign from his position as an MP. Labour Councillor Michael Fitzpatrick, who represents Stapenhill in East Staffordshire which covers Burton, told the Burton Mail: “He has crossed the line. A very sick line was crossed and it is unacceptable.”

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After his lewd messages were exposed, Griffiths issued a statement: “I am deeply ashamed at my behaviour which has caused untold distress to my wife and family, to whom I owe everything, and deep embarrassment to the prime minister and the government I am so proud to serve,” he said.

“Following discussions today with the chief whip, I have referred myself to the Conservative Party’s code of conduct procedures. I entirely accept that pending this investigation it is right the whip is withdrawn. I do not seek to excuse my behaviour and will be seeking professional help to ensure it never happens again.”

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>>2195119

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