IRS Grants Charity Status to Right-Wing Hollywood Group

An organization of conservatives in the entertainment industry that had been waiting about three years for an Internal Revenue Service ruling on its application for nonprofit status has been formally recognized as a 501(c)(3) charity, writes The New York Times.

An attorney for Friends of Abe told the Times on Sunday that the group’s application had been approved. The request had come under IRS scrutiny for political activity, which is not permitted for 501(c)(3) organizations.

Friends of Abe, which describes itself as a fellowship organization, does not engage in direct campaign activity but has hosted events with prominent conservative figures, such as Rep. Paul D. Ryan and Sen. Ted Cruz. Actors Gary Sinise, Jon Voight, and Kelsey Grammer have been associated with the group, but it does not disclose members’ names for fear of what it says is possible job discrimination in generally left-leaning Hollywood.