527s and Other Political Groups

Members of CEA and AFT-Colorado: See how union bosses are spending YOUR money

2006 Colorado Teachers Union Political Contributions:
527s and Other Political Groups

What is a 527 Political Group?
A good definition of a 527 political group comes from the The Center for Responsive Politics Web site OpenSecrets.org:

"A tax-exempt group organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code to raise money for political activities including voter mobilization efforts, issue advocacy and the like.... it must file either with the government of the state in which it is located or the Internal Revenue Service. Many 527s run by special interest groups raise unlimited 'soft money,' which they use for voter mobilization and certain types of issue advocacy, but not for efforts that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a federal candidate or amount to electioneering communications."

What sort of political groups do the teachers unions give money to?
The Colorado Education Association (CEA) and four of its local affiliates, along with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)-Colorado, have given more than $1.15 million to 9 different 527 political groups, including:

- CEA and 3 local affiliates (JCEA, DCTA, BVEA) have given $256,000 to Main Street Colorado
(Rocky Mountain News editor Vincent Carroll twice exposed Main Street Colorado, once for "the most recklessly irresponsible and false ad of the year" and again for a "sleazy falsehood" in a campaign mailer)

- CEA has given $200,000 to Citizens for Progress
(Denver Post columnist Diane Carman called this group's political ads against gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez "deceptive")

- CEA and affiliates have given $162,334, and AFT-Colorado $10,000, to Citizens for Colorado
(Denver Post noted Citizens for Colorado is "a Democratic group funded by millionaires Rutt Bridges, Pat Stryker and Tim Gill")

- CEA has given $74,300 to Clear Peak Colorado
(Denver Post said Clear Peak Colorado is an "independent political group working for Democratic causes;" one cable company pulled a "shameless" Clear Peak TV ad because it contained "a lie")

To find most of these groups on the Internet, go to the Internal Revenue Service Political Organization Filing and Disclosure search engine. Below is a complete updated 2006 listing of the teachers unions' reported contributions to 527 political groups:

Contributor Recipient Date Amount Sec. of State Report

Amer. Fed. of Teachers Colorado Main Street Colorado 10/18/06 $2,000.00 10/25/06

Boulder Valley Education Assoc. Main Street Colorado 9/5/06 $1,000.00 9/13/06

Colorado Education Association Main Street Colorado 7/26/06 $5,000.00 7/26/06

Colorado Education Association Main Street Colorado 10/3/06 $100,000.00 10/11/06

Colorado Education Association Main Street Colorado 10/5/06 $100,000.00 10/11/06

Colorado Education Association Main Street Colorado 10/20/06 $25,000.00 10/25/06

Denver Classroom Teachers Assoc. Main Street Colorado 3/1/06 $2,500.00 3/31/06

Denver Classroom Teachers Assoc. Main Street Colorado 10/10/06 $2,500.00 10/11/06

Jefferson County Education Assoc. Main Street Colorado 8/31/06 $5,000.00 9/13/06

Jefferson County Education Assoc. Main Street Colorado 10/9/06 $15,000.00 10/11/06

Colorado Education Association Colorado Campaign for Children & Public Sch. 9/21/06 $250,000.00 9/21/06

Colorado Education Association Colorado Campaign for Children & Public Sch. 10/6/06 $5,000.00 10/11/06

Colorado Education Association Citizens for Progress 8/10/06 $200,000.00 N/A*

Amer. Fed. of Teachers Colorado Citizens for Colorado 10/18/06 $10,000.00 10/25/06

Boulder Valley Education Assoc. Citizens for Colorado 9/5/06 $3,000.00 9/13/06

Colorado Education Association Citizens for Colorado 5/1/06 $66,667.00 5/26/06

Colorado Education Association Citizens for Colorado 7/6/06 $66,667.00 7/12/06

Colorado Education Association Citizens for Colorado 10/17/06 $10,000.00 10/25/06

Colorado Education Association Citizens for Colorado 11/2/06 $5,000.00 11/30/06

Jefferson County Education Assoc. Citizens for Colorado 8/31/06 $21,000.00 9/13/06

Amer. Fed. of Teachers Colorado Moving Colorado Forward 10/18/06 $2,000.00 10/25/06

Colorado Education Association Moving Colorado Forward 8/14/06 $20,000.00 N/A*

Colorado Education Association Moving Colorado Forward 10/3/06 $80,000.00 10/11/06

Jefferson County Education Assoc. Moving Colorado Forward 8/31/06 $5,000.00 9/13/06

Colorado Education Association Clear Peak Colorado 8/11/06 $51,900.00 N/A*

Colorado Education Association Clear Peak Colorado 9/20/06 $22,400.00 N/A*

Colorado Education Association New West Fellowship Group 6/26/06 $57,980.00 N/A*

District Twelve Educators Assoc. New West Fellowship Group 10/6/06 $10,000.00 10/11/06

Colorado Education Association Campaign for Liberty 8/14/06 $10,000.00 N/A*

Amer. Fed. of Teachers Colorado Colorado Voter Project 10/18/06 $10,000.00 10/25/06

Colorado Education Association Colorado Leadership Fund 10/27/06 $1,000.00 11/30/06

TOTAL $1,165,614.00

Source: Colorado Secretary of State Campaign Finance Reports
*Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service Political Organization Disclosures

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