BOZEMAN — A watchdog group recently called on the IRS to investigate a Bozeman-based non-profit, claiming the organization failed to report its lobbying activity.
The Washington DC-based group, Campaign for Accountability, says Citizens for Balanced Use willfully violated the rules for maintaining a nonprofit tax-exempt status by running an extensive lobbying campaign and failing to disclose its activity.
Citizens for Balanced Use is an advocacy group that promotes active forest management and responsible resource development in Montana.
“Well, according to the complaint, they claim that all our members and board members and people are up, you know, advocating for certain issues between our congressional, state elected officials, agencies,” said Kerry White, executive director for Citizens for Balanced Use.
“I just remind the people that none of our board members and members are being paid,” White added.
The research about Citizens for Balanced Use’s lobbying practices came from the Western Values Project, a Montana-based conservation group.
