CREW files complaint against Freedom Frontier
Freedom Frontier operated primarily to influence political campaigns in violation of its non-profit tax-exempt status by contributing more than half of its total spending to political organizations. CREW filed a complaint with the IRS requesting an investigation. CREW also submitted an update to a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission last June alleging that Freedom Frontier was at the center of a scheme to conceal millions of dollars in campaign contributions supporting former Missouri Governor Greitens.
Since its formation in 2011, Freedom Frontier has contributed millions of dollars to political organizations, with more than two-thirds of its overall spending dedicated to political expenditures. In 2016, Freedom Frontier contributed over $4.4 million to political organizations, and those expenditures accounted for 74.9% of its total spending during the year. Similarly, over the course of the entire 2015-16 election cycle, political spending accounted for 68.9% of Freedom Frontier’s total spending. Most of that contributed money was spent on ads in the 2016 Missouri gubernatorial race, supporting Eric Greitens and attacking his opponents. As a section 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, Freedom Frontier is not required to disclose its donors but may not make politics it primary focus.
CREW also called on the IRS to impose fines against Freedom Frontier for filing its 2016 tax returns more than 400 days late.