Financial Data on 527 Groups
Section 527 political organization must file Form 8872 quarterly with the IRS listing their contributions received and expenditures. OpenSecrets.org has mined these IRS filings and produced a wonderful web site with helpful lists, including:
Forms 8872 filed by ? 527 groups are searchable on the IRS web site. Here are the most recent Forms 8872 filed by some of the “major players” in the 2004 election on both sides of the aisle:
Democrat-Backed Groups:
America Coming Together America Votes Billionaires for Bush Media Fund MoveOn.org Voter Fund Sierra Club Voter Education Fund
Republican-Backed Groups:
Club for Growth Leadership Forum Progress for America Voter Fund Swift Boat Veterans for Truth Taxpayers for Conservative Government
For further web commentary, see PLI’s How Fast Can A Swift Boat MoveOn? Election 2004 And The 527 Groups and Corporate Political Activities 2004: Complying with Campaign Finance, Lobbying & Ethics Laws.