Oregon Public Broadcasting

Anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore is not the only one facing off with judges over money and politics in this election season.

Sizemore’s chief financial backer, Loren Parks, is scheduled for tax court a month from now.

The Internal Revenue Service notified Parks and his private foundation last year that hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on political ads were not tax-exempt.

But Parks’ attorney, Kevin O’Connell, argues that the ads were “issue-oriented,” and protected as free speech.

O’Connell says a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a similar case favors his client. 

Kevin O’Connell: “The Right to Life case involved radio issue ads encouraging voters in Wisconsin to contact their senators to discourage them from filibustering judicial nominees. And the sarcasm in the ads, the style in the ads, was very similar to what was very similar to the issue ads in the Parks Foundation matter.”

O’Connell says the government is essentially engaging in “censorship” by sending Parks a $75,000 tax bill.

A coalition of unions and parents groups called Defend Oregon, is campaigning against initiatives funded by Loren Parks.

A coalition spokesman says both Sizemore and Parks have the same problem - improper political spending by non-profits.