Is it Legal? Soros, Tides & Unions Use Illegals to Campaign for Dems

October 22, 2010
Meredith Jessup

As Jonathan noted this morning, the Associated Press has uncovered how one group in Washington state is recruiting illegal immigrants to campaign door-to-door for Democratic candidates facing upsets in midterm election races on Nov. 2:

Pramila Jayapal, head of OneAmerica Votes, says the campaign is about empowering immigrants who may not feel like they can contribute to a campaign because they can’t vote.

Not only can individuals living in America illegally not vote, they’re also prohibited from contributing money to political campaigns. I’m not an expert in election law, but I do remember how then-Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign was forced to return a $265 donation from Zeituni Onyango, his aunt who had been living in the United States illegally for years. In a grey area of the law, shouldn’t volunteering time and talent also be considered a kind of “contribution” or “donation” to a campaign?

OneAmerica may skirt around these election laws because they are not an official arm of any one candidate’s campaign. However, as a 501(c)(3) organization, the Internal Revenue Service says they are prohibited from participating in political campaigns:

Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity.

In addition,

[N]o organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying)…

An organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation.

A group like OneAmerica might get around these rules by conducting certain non-partisan “voter education activities,” however, according to the Associated Press, the group is “trying to get naturalized citizens to cast a ballot for candidates like Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who is in a neck-to-neck race with Republican Dino Rossi.”

“Immigrants really do matter,” Jayapal said. “If we can’t vote ourselves, we’re gonna knock on doors, or get family members to vote.”

I’m all for everyone (all legally eligible citizens, that is) voting and contributing, but where do we draw the line? On Nov. 2, voters in two American cities will vote whether to allow non-citizens to vote in certain elections. In Portland, Maine, a ballot proposal could allow legal immigrants who have not yet obtained citizenship to vote in municipal elections. Likewise in San Francisco, a proposition would allow all parents of public school students to vote in school elections, regardless of legal status.

In the case of OneAmerica, Stanley Renshon of the Center for Immigration Studies observes:

What’s wrong with illegal immigrants taking part in the political process by trying to convince others to vote for pro-legalization candidates? Legally, as noted, nothing; ethically a great deal. …

They have no legal standing as members of the American national community and no moral standing, either, since they are present only by virtue of their own decision to violate American immigration laws.

Finally, I feel compelled to point out liberals’ incredible hypocrisy here.

According to their annual reports, Jayapal’s OneAmerica (formerly Hate Free Zone) receives funding from a number of liberal individuals and interest groups, including George Soros’ Open Society Institute, Planned Parenthood, SEIU, the Tides Foundation and a number of various union organizations.

While Democratic Party officials — including President Barack Obama — are out on the stump complaining about conservative groups who allegedly accept funds from foreign groups and labeling them a “threat to democracy,” what’s to be said about liberal interest groups using actual people from other countries to push their political agenda?

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/is-it-legal-soros-tides-unions-use-illegals-to-campaign-for-dems/

calling all vietnam era and gulf war veterans that might be interested in refining thier sharpshooting skills to defend our country from insugents to the south of our borders. drug cartels and human traffickers have taken over a national park inside our border. and our own government has posted signs for us to keep out of a place that is american soil, so these people can conduct thier business without interference. is there any americans willing to go to the border and defend it

illegals shouldn't be paid for anything.

I wouldn't be surprised if Americans went down to secure the border and defend the folk there, the Gov. would order troops to kill the Americans.

I don't think I would want illegals going door to door supporting my cause.Isn't that kind of like having the mafia and the drug lords going door to door asking you to support someone?

You know, I've never seen liberals suggest that their ideological opponents be rounded up and shot. But I see it all the time from lunatic right-wingers.

What is it that causes people to go THAT crazy? Is it that they're naturally violent and they're just looking for an excuse? Or do they genuinely not understand how complicated immigration issues can be? And how the economy of all the southern states more or less depends on cheap immigrant labour?

It would be called shooting back.

Left-wing nutjobs only wanna' pick on unborn kids that can't fight back. (abortion)

The only complicated thing about Immigration is making room for the legal workers to come in.

Illegals get a pretty decent wage. Food processing, 15.00 an hour. Construction, 15 to 20.00 an hour.

I would imagine an American would do those jobs.

Left-wing Anti-American-Workers won't protect us or our jobs.

It can't be shooting "back", unless someone's shooting at you. Your complaint isn't that they're shooting at you, it's that they're coming over here to work without the correct documentation.

Left-wing people are concerned about women's rights, yes. I'm guessing you're a man.

Apparently not, or people wouldn't be making the same errors you're making.

Thankfully, what you imagine is irrelevant. The truth is that the vast majority of illegals are overworked and underpaid.

If you're really concerned about American jobs - and I mean if you're actually worried about this thing instead of just running around shooting people and spouting racist gibberish - you'll leave the Mexicans alone and start combatting the scourge of outsourcing. How many American jobs have been lost because massive corporations were allowed to "relocate" entire operations overseas?

This is your battleground.