National Taxpayers Union

National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is closely related to their "501(c)(3)" (i.e. non-profit) foundation, the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF). According to the 990 forms of NTUF, the NTU and NTUF share staff, facilities, web site and board members.

Duane Parde, former Executive Director of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), is president of both the NTU and the NTUF. NTU is also a member of ALEC.

The NTU received from Philip Morris in 1998 a donation of $25,000 (, WRO refers to Philip Morris's W ashington R elations O ffice) and one year later $10,000. The Tobacco Institute budgeted for 1999 also a donation to NTU of $10,000. 

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council
NTU President Duane Parde is former Executive Director of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and NTU is an ALEC member.

In a July 2011 interview with National Public Radio's Fresh Air, host Terry Gross asked ALEC National Chair Louisiana Rep. Noble Ellington: "But the corporations on who are represented have a lot of input in writing the legislation, in drafting it."

Ellington replied, in part: "It's not just corporations. I'm there, and members of ALEC is the Americans for Tax Reform, the National Taxpayers Union, National Federation of Independent Businesses - those are people that we represent as well and those are people who are members."

In 1999, David M. Stanley was the chairman of NTU as well as Iowans for Tax Relief (ITR). He has also been chairman of the Tax Education Support Foundation, a group affiliated with both NTU and ITR. In 1996, the Tax Education Support Foundation loaned ALEC $100,000 "to support ALEC's exempt purpose."

Additional tobacco industry information
A 1991 Philip Morris Communications presentation indicates the company's intent to utilize its coporate Contributions Program to develop NTU as a "strategic vehicle" to advance PM's corporate obejctives:

PMI CONTRIBUTIONS PROGRAM OBJECTIVE: CREATE STRATEGIC VEHICLES PLAN: ISSUES MANAGEMENT THROUGH COALITION BUILDING --IAA EDUCATION PROGRAM --CITIZENS DEMOCRACY CORPS --NATIONAL TAXPAYERS' UNION OBJECTIVE: ENHANCE REGIONAL AND MARKET PLAN: --VISIBILITY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES --EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE PMI OBJECTIVES (Taken from an April 1991 Philip Morris presentation titled "Function: Communications" http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/unl19e00) In 1992 Philip Morris funneled $50,000 to the NTU through the International Taxpayers Association. A memo about the donation written by Matthew Winokur, Director of Worldwide Tobacco Regulatory Issues for PM Europe, stated:

"[This] represents the first opportunity PMI has had to support grass-roots opposition to excise taxes in key markets. Funds will be channeled through the National Taxpayers Union to sponsor a global tax meeting in Australia in November 1992 and an international tax congress planned for Prague in May of 1993. --PMI 1992 Corporate Contributions Budget"

A 1995 Philip Morris document that appears to be about fighting a proposed increase in a state excise tax (SET) on cigarettes, lists "501c(3) Organizations identified for outreach, who receive contributions." NTU appears on the list funded at $50,000. --SET SWOT Analysis 950000 In 1998 NTU got $25,000 from PM divided into two discrete contributions from 2 different PM departments: $12,500 from Corporate Government Affairs and $12,500 Worldwide Regulatory Office. National Taxpayers Union of Ohio again also got a contribution, of $5,000 --1998 Public Policy Contributions In 1999, PM gave $10,000 to NTU and $5,000 to the NTU of Ohio.(Philip Morris' 1999 Public Policy Contributions Budget). A May/June issue of Mother Jones carried an article titled "The Nicotine Network" that discussed the significant funding the NTU receives from Philip Morris.

Additional information
Major funder of the Legislation Education Action Drive?

Staff
Dr. John E. Berthoud is former president of both the NTU and the NTUF.


 * Sam Batkins, Deputy Press Secretary
 * David Keating, Senior Counselor
 * Demian Brady, Senior Policy Analyst
 * Doug Frank, Vice President of Membership & Administration
 * Jeff Dircksen, Director of Congressional Analysis
 * John Berthoud, President (former vice president and Senior Fellow of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution)
 * Lee MacVaugh, Vice President for Development
 * Kristina Rasmussen, Senior Government Affairs Manager
 * Peter J. Sepp, Vice President for Communications
 * Neha Jain, Director of Computer Services
 * Andrew Moylan, Government Affairs Manager

Contact Information
108 North Alfred St. Alexandria VA 22314 Phone: 703.683.5700 Fax: 703.683.5722 Web site: http://www.ntu.org

Sourcewatch resources

 * Paul Gessing
 * James Dale Davidson - cofounder

Articles

 * Jim Snyder, "Nuclear advocates try to clear obstacles," The Hill, November 8, 2007. "'Taxpayers should not be required to finance billions in risky loan guarantees [for new nuclear plants],' states a letter that TCS (Taxpayers for Common Sense), the National Taxpayers Union and Citizens Against Government Waste jointly sent to Congress."

search_term=National Taxpayers Untion