February 7, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
Dean A. Zerbe, who has been instrumental in leading the Senate’s efforts to fight charity abuses, says he will leave his job at the end of February.
Mr. Zerbe, the senior counsel to Sen. Charles E. Grassley, an Iowa Republican, will join the Washington office of the Alliant Group, a Houston tax-consulting company.
Mr. Zerbe was a top adviser to Senator Grassley when he chaired the Senate Finance Committee, and continued in that role after Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006.
In addition to helping to pass the Pension Protection Act in 2006 — which instituted new curbs on nonprofit activities as well as new giving incentives — Mr. Zerbe also helped Mr. Grassley undertake numerous investigations of charity abuses.
More recently, Mr. Zerbe has fought back attempts to weaken provisions in the Pension Protection Act that were designed to fight nonprofit abuses.
A former Congressional staff member who is familiar with Senator Grassley’s plans says that the senator has not decided yet on a replacement for Mr. Zerbe. “There are a limited number of people in the tax community that could replace Dean,” said the former staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “He’s got a very close relationship with Grassley that’s been built over the years. Grassley trusts Dean and his judgment of what they should investigate. On the other hand, Dean understands Iowa and knows what Grassley wants.”
