NOM’s 2010 Financials Raise Doubts as to "Grassroots" Claim

As has been noted on this blog a number of times, the National Organization for Marriage ("NOM") has fought tooth and claw to avoid disclosing the names of its contributors and has unsuccessfully challenged campaign finance disclosure laws in a number of states. While NOM has claimed its legal challenges have been based on a desire to protect its donors from abuse by us wicked gays, NOM's 2010 financials suggest the real motivation is to hide the fact that NOM is an organization funded and controlled by a very small group of donors and is anything but the broad grass roots movement it pretends to be. The financials certainly explain why NOM's so-called mass rallies draw such small numbers. Based on the 2010 financials, it is increasingly clear that NOM needs to be forced to release the names of its principal bank rollers. My gut tells me that the names will prove controversial and likely destroy NOM's credibility as anything other than an arm of the Catholic Church, Focus on the Family, the Mormon Church or similar organizations and/or individuals. The Washington Independent looks at the latest financial disclosures. Here are some highlights:

In 2010, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), a tax-exempt nonprofit trying to thwart the legalization of same-sex marriage throughout the U.S., reported the highest individual donations it has received since its inception in 2007, according to NOM’s most recent income disclosures to the Internal Revenue Service, recently obtained by The American Independent. Per NOM’s numbers, just two individuals contributed more than $6 million to the organization’s political arm – accounting for about two-thirds of NOM’s 2010 revenue, while single donations below $5,000 covered only 8 percent of reported revenue.

Since the very beginning, NOM has fought tooth and nail to avoid disclosing the names of donors specifically and its financial records generally. The group is embroiled in various legal battles in different states (recently in Minnesota) to avoid disclosure of its political campaign records.

NOM was involved in at least six different federal lawsuits. NOM has also set up political action committees in various states throughout the country. Last month TAI reported that NOM was one of the top political spenders in Iowa’s 2010 election cycle, making more than $721,000 in independent expenditures.

Under IRS rules regarding nonprofit entities with 501(c)3 and (c)4 status, all donations above $5,000 must be disclosed. Of the 22 contributions NOM’s (c)4 was obligated to list, all but five were greater than $5,000.

The top five contributions to the National Organization for Marriage, Inc.:

$3,416,000
$2,940,000
$750,000
$600,000
$400,000

Back in July, Gallagher told TAI that NOM has 50,000 donors. But many of NOM’s critics believe the organization is funded by a few wealthy donors.

“The National Organization for Marriage is primarily a shell group that exists to funnel funding from secret anti-gay donors,” said Evan Wolfson, the founder and president of Freedom to Marry, a national campaign started in 2003 whose mission is to legalize marriage for gay and lesbian couples nationwide.

In September 2010, The Washington Independent, TAI’s predecessor, reported that Catholic charity group the Knights of Columbus donated $1.4 million to NOM in 2009, an amount that did not appear of NOM’s Form 990.

After obtaining classified Mormon documents from an anonymous source, [Fred] Karger has maintained his belief that the National Organization for Marriage was set up by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) as a front group to funnel money for political campaigns against the legalization of same-sex marriage.

[Evan]Wolfson said he believes the “Roman Catholic hierarchy” is NOM’s primary funding source.
TAI contacted the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the LDS church – neither organization responded to requests for comment.

Over the years, NOM has received extensive funding from evangelical Christian organizations such as Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council, and NOM Exposed has linked NOM to the anti-gay-marriage grant-making groups the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the Arlington Group.

Needless to say, its rather ironic that a group like NOM that wraps itself in feigned piety and concern for the truth appears to be totally dishonest. I always say that if one doesn't have anything to hide, they will not act like they are trying to hide something. NOM seems to have a great deal to hide and I sincerely hope that it is forced to come clean with the names of its big donors.