IRS Says It Won't Propose New Spending Rules For Political Groups Until After 2016 Election

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said the agency does not want to be seen as attempting to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

By Taylor Tyler | Jul 24, 2015 03:59 PM EDT

The consensus seems to be that for the 2016 election cycle, political expenditures will shatter records, with overall spending by candidates, parties and outside groups and individuals expected to approach $10 billion. (Photo : Twitter Photo Section)

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said Thursday that big-money political groups will not have to worry about the agency imposing new rules on their campaign spending activities before the 2016 presidential elections, reports The Associated Press.

At least partially due to not wanting the IRS to be seen as trying to influence the outcome of the election, Koskinen said the agency won't adopt new regulations for the political activities of tax-exempt organizations until 2017.

In 2013, the Treasury Department and IRS proposed new rules that would have clarified how the IRS defined political activity and how much money nonprofits are allowed to spend on that political activity, reported The New York Times.

The rules would have affected social welfare groups such as Crossroads GPS, co-founded by GOP strategist Karl Rove, as well as the pro-Obama Priorities USA, but after significant backlash from both conservatives and liberals, the IRS pulled the regulations and started re-working them, reported Reuters.

The consensus seems to be that for the 2016 election cycle, political expenditures will shatter records, with overall spending by candidates, parties and outside groups and individuals expected to approach $10 billion.

Via: HNGN

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