CMD Files IRS Complaint Against Fair Lines America Foundation for Misreporting Its 2018 Income

For Immediate Release: Thursday, July 2, 2020

Contact: David Armiak, Research Director, david@prwatch.org

MADISON, WI – The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) filed a complaint on Thursday, July 2, 2020, with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) against the Fair Lines America Foundation for underreporting its income in 2018.

Tax records show that in 2018, Fair Lines America Foundation brought in less than $50,000 in revenue. However, research from CMD revealed that Fair Lines America Foundation received a $225,000 gift in 2018 through DonorsTrust, the preferred donor conduit of Charles Koch's right-wing political network, and $12,000 from the Legacy Foundation.

"It is unclear why Fair Lines America Foundation misreported its revenue in 2018, but it did and it should be held accountable for doing so," said David Armiak, CMD’s research director.

Fair Lines America Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is led by the Republican Party's "chief authority on redistricting," Adam Kincaid. Fair Lines America Foundation's sister organization, the 501(c)4 Fair Lines America, works to block the creation of independent redistricting commissions in the states, conducts redistricting trainings, and weighs in on redistricting litigation.

Kincaid also is the executive director for the National Republican Redistricting Trust, "the central Republican resource to coordinate and collaborate on a 50-state redistricting effort; focusing on the GOP's redistricting-related legal and data needs."

In May, CMD exposed Fair Lines America's six-part "Mapping America" webinar for American Legislative Exchange Council (AELC) legislative members and "key redistricting staff."

On June 1, 2020 Fair Lines America Foundation launched "The American Redistricting Project" to serve as an alternative to the Brennan Center for Justice, which fights against gerrymandering and advocates for nonpartisan redistricting.

A copy of the complaint is viewable here.