Blumenthal & Murphy Call to Prohibit NRA Foundation From Soliciting, Receiving Charitable Donations From Federal Employees
NRA faces slew of allegations including misuse of charitable contributions, fraud, waste. Sens: NRA Foundation cannot meet OPM’s own high standards for eligibility to participate in 2020 Combined Federal Campaign. CFC is world's largest annual workplace charity campaign.
(HARTFORD, CT) – In the wake of serious allegations and recent lawsuits filed against the National Rifle Association (NRA), NRA Foundation and their leadership by the attorneys general of New York and the District of Columbia, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined a group of colleagues in calling on the head of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to immediately remove the NRA Foundation and related entities from the list of charities eligible to solicit and receive contributions from federal employees during the Combined Federal Campaign’s (CFC) annual fundraising drive, set to begin September 21.
The letter was co-signed by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
“The mission of the Combined Federal Campaign ‘is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused…and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all,’” the senators pointed out in a letter to OMB Acting Director Rigas, who oversees the CFC. “Under applicable federal regulations, participating CFC charities must ‘[c]ertify that contributions are effectively used for the announced purpose of the charitable organization.’”
The senators reminded Rigas of the serious allegations of fraud, waste and abuse outlined in two lawsuits filed against the NRA and NRA Foundation by the attorneys general of New York and Washington D.C.
The CFC is the world's largest annual workplace charity campaign, raising millions of dollars annually from pledges made by federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season. Managed by the Director of OPM, the CFC supports over 20,000 eligible non-profit and charitable organizations worldwide, ranging from small, start-up community groups to large, well-known charities.
“In short, the allegations raised by the attorneys general contradict OPM’s goal of demonstrating a commitment to public service, and if true, violate federal regulations,” the senators stated.
The full text of the letter is available here.
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