PO Box 107 Spencerport, NY 14559-0107 Ph. 585-225-2340 F. 585-225-2810 ___________________________________________________________________________________________ July 11, 2013 New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics 540 Broadway Albany, NY 12207 Re: Request for Exemption from Donor Disclosure Requirements Dear Sir or Madam: We write for the purpose of requesting an exemption from the existing requirement that our organization disclose each source of funding in excess of $5,000. Our request is not confined to one single donor or category of donors; rather, we seek to shield the identities of all of our large donors from disclosure. Pursuant to 19 NYCRR 938.4(b), the Commission "may grant an exemption to disclose all Single Sources of Contributions to a Client Filer, if (i) the Client Filer has exempt status under I.R.C. ?501(c)(4); and (ii) the Client Filer shows that its primary activities involve areas of public concern that create a substantial likelihood that disclosure of its Single Source(s) will cause harm, threats, harassment or reprisals to the Single Source(s) or individuals or property affiliated with the Single Source(s). Factors the Commission will consider when determining whether this showing has been made include, but are not limited to, the factors identified in 938.4(a)." Those factors include evidence of harm, threats, harassment, or reprisals directed at the organization or its donors; the level of severity of such incidents; whether or not a pattern of threats or manifestations of public hostility exists; "[e]vidence of harm, threats, harassment or reprisals directed against organizations or individuals holding views similar to those" of the organization; and the potential negative impact of disclosure upon the organization and its donors (see 19 NYCRR 938.4(a)). New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms (NYCF) is a nonprofit advocacy organization under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Since 1982, NYCF has lobbied the New York State government regarding matters of concern to the evangelical Christian community. As such, NYCF took a leadership role in opposing the legalization of same-sex "marriage," and continues to take a lead role in promoting pro-life policies in New York. NYCF's work involves "areas of public concern that create a substantial likelihood that disclosure of" our large donors "will cause harm, threats, harassment or reprisals" to said large donors (see 19 NYCRR 938.4(a). Accordingly, we believe that an exemption from donor disclosure requirements is clearly warranted. There is significant evidence from around the country that organizations and individuals who oppose abortion and same-sex "marriage" have experienced reprisals. One example in the recent past involves California's 2008 marriage amendment, Proposition Eight. Donors who supported Proposition Eight were subjected to reprisals including boycotts of their employers and businesses, street protests, and pressure to resign from their jobs. In one particularly egregious incident, same-sex "marriage" supporters protested outside a family-owned restaurant because a 67-year-old restaurant employee had donated $100 to support Proposition Eight; the employee took a leave of absence due to concerns regarding the harassment. Furthermore, opponents of Proposition Eight placed maps on the Internet identifying individuals who donated to Proposition Eight and providing those individuals' employers and addresses. These maps were ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Facebook.com/AlbanyUpdates o AlbanyUpdate.com o Twitter.com/AlbanyUpdate used to harass and retaliate against pro-traditional-marriage donors from around the country, including donors from here in New York. Other forms of retaliation against Proposition Eight supporters have included trespassing, vandalism, theft, vulgarity, harassing phone calls, racial and religious slurs, arson, threats of violence, and assault and battery (see http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/10/theprice-of-prop-8). Due to the pervasive nature of this behavior, organizations opposing same-sex "marriage" have made efforts to shield the identities of their donors from disclosure. In regard to the abortion issue, attacks on pro-life individuals are, sadly, not as rare as might be hoped. In 2009, pro-life activist James Pouillon was gunned down while peacefully demonstrating against abortion (see http://www.lifenews.com/2010/09/14/state-5455/). Other peaceful pro-life demonstrators have had firebombs thrown at them (see http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/police-response-tofirebomb-attack-on-pro-life-demonstrator-criticized/), while other pro-life groups have expressed concern regarding donor harassment (see http://www.voicescarryblog.com/quit-harrassing-sd-pro-life-donors/). It should be noted that New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms is no stranger to threats and reprisals. Harassing phone calls and threats against family members and property are an unfortunate reality for our organization. One New York trial judge recognized the sensitive nature of our work when he allowed the undersigned not to disclose a home address in connection with a lawsuit that followed the legalization of same-sex "marriage" in New York. The freedom to participate in the political process without harassment or reprisals is vitally important. New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms asks that the Commission allow our large donors this freedom. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Jason J. McGuire Executive Director ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Facebook.com/AlbanyUpdates o AlbanyUpdate.com o Twitter.com/AlbanyUpdate