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145-813: The United States Center for SafeSport is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization set up to reduce sexual abuse of minors and athletes in Olympic sports in the United States. Established in 2017 under the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act , SafeSport has exclusive jurisdiction to review allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct within U.S. Olympic or Paralympic organizations. The Center may also review and act upon other allegations, such as emotional abuse, bullying, and harassment. It cannot indict or jail people accused of sexual misconduct, as it

290-485: A VIP loan from Countrywide , "there's no evidence of wrongdoing on [Mr. Dodd's] part any more than victims who were misled or deceived by Countrywide." In August 2010, Dodd was cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee , which found "no credible evidence" that he knowingly tried to use his status as a U.S. senator to receive loan terms not available to the public. Blumenthal has been a vocal advocate of

435-545: A safe harbor for the "substantial part" test, the United States Congress enacted §501(h), called the Conable election after its author, Representative Barber Conable . The section establishes limits based on operating budget that a charity can use to determine if it meets the substantial test. This changes the prohibition against direct intervention in partisan contests only for lobbying. The organization

580-529: A "case" when the Center has what it deems to be enough information to launch an investigation. According to the December 2020 U.S. Government Accountability Office report, "from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020, the Center created 2,027 cases, but only 1,223 included claimant information. According to Center staff, oftentimes when third parties make a report, claimants are unwilling to participate in cases, and

725-416: A 46-state lawsuit against the tobacco industry, which alleged that the companies involved had deceived the public about the dangers of smoking. He argued that the state of Connecticut should be reimbursed for Medicaid expenses related to smoking. In 1998, the tobacco companies reached a $ 246 billion national settlement , giving the 46 states involved 25 years of reimbursement payments. Connecticut's share of

870-512: A Boston hotel. Blumenthal subsequently called for a series of specific measures to fight prostitution and pornography on Craigslist—including steep financial penalties for rule breaking, and incentives for reporting wrongdoing. He said, "Craigslist has the means—and moral obligation—to stop the pimping and prostituting in plain sight." Leading a coalition of 39 states, in May 2010 Blumenthal subpoenaed Craigslist as part of an investigation into whether

1015-463: A SafeSport spokesperson defended the organization, saying that "the voices that are critical are the loudest. But there have to be a lot of people who are grateful for the fact that they finally had a place to go that could be trusted and something was done." Hill also stated: "It is not uncommon for both sides to feel frustration with SafeSport’s procedures. But, even with its flaws, the agency's protections against abuse appear superior to those in most of

1160-485: A September 2021 hearing before the US Senate Judiciary Committee , American Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman said: "I don't like SafeSport ... it's a complete mess, and the priority doesn't seem to be the safety and well-being of athletes." New York State Senator & Judiciary Chairman Brad Hoylman wrote a letter to U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell on September 24, 2021, requesting that

1305-539: A botched reconstruction project of Interstate 84 in Waterbury and Cheshire . The original contractor for the job, L.G. DeFelice, went out of business and it was later revealed that hundreds of storm drains had been improperly installed. Blumenthal subsequently announced lawsuits against L.G. DeFelice and the Maguire Group, the engineering firm that inspected the project. United States Fidelity & Guaranty,

1450-410: A budget of $ 10.5 million. CEO Shellie Pfohl resigned that year, saying that the Center lacked the resources to deal with the more than 1,800 reports of sexual misconduct or sexual abuse that had "inundated" the organization. The next year, its funding was increased to $ 23 million under proposals by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Jerry Moran . The situation started to improve in latter years, as

1595-509: A candidate in some manner, or (c) favor a candidate or group of candidates, constitute prohibited participation or intervention. Since section 501(c)(3)'s political-activity prohibition was enacted, "commentators and litigants have challenged the provision on numerous constitutional grounds", such as freedom of speech , vagueness , and equal protection and selective prosecution. Historically, Supreme Court decisions, such as Regan v. Taxation with Representation of Washington , suggested that

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1740-595: A choice between two sets of rules establishing an upper bound for their lobbying activities. Section 501(c)(3) organizations risk loss of their tax-exempt status if these rules are violated. An organization that loses its 501(c)(3) status due to being engaged in political activities cannot subsequently qualify for 501(c)(3) status. Churches must meet specific requirements to obtain and maintain tax-exempt status; these are outlined in "IRS Publication 1828: Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations". This guide outlines activities allowed and not allowed by churches under

1885-544: A church's principal means of accomplishing its religious purposes must be to assemble regularly a group of individuals related by common worship and faith." The United States Tax Court has stated that, while a church can certainly broadcast its religious services by radio, radio broadcasts themselves do not constitute a congregation unless there is a group of people physically attending those religious services. A church can conduct worship services in various specific locations rather than in one official location. A church may have

2030-438: A contender for governor of Connecticut , but he never pursued the office. Blumenthal announced his 2010 run for the U.S. Senate after incumbent Senator Chris Dodd announced his retirement. He faced Linda McMahon , a professional wrestling magnate, in the 2010 election, winning with 55% of the vote. He was sworn in on January 5, 2011. After Joe Lieberman retired in 2013, Blumenthal became Connecticut's senior senator. He

2175-563: A disease, Chronic Lyme , into existence". He launched an antitrust investigation into the Infectious Diseases Society of America 's (IDSA's) 2006 guidelines regarding the treatment of Lyme disease . Responding to concerns from chronic Lyme disease advocacy groups, Blumenthal claimed the IDSA guidelines would "severely constrict choices and legitimate diagnosis and treatment options for patients." The medical validity of

2320-502: A federal court ruling imposed those same remedies. In August 2007, Blumenthal and five other states and the District of Columbia filed a report alleging that the federal settlement with Microsoft and court-imposed Microsoft remedies had failed to adequately reduce Microsoft's monopoly. On May 10, 2002, Blumenthal and Connecticut State Treasurer Denise L. Nappier helped to stop the hostile takeover of New Britain-based Stanley Works ,

2465-550: A few, have also become pseudo-foreign corporations for the sole purpose of saving tax dollars." Blumenthal said, "Corporations proposing to reincorporate to Bermuda, such as Stanley, often tell shareholders that there is no material difference in the law", but said that this was not the case and was misleading to their shareholders. In order to rectify this situation he championed the Corporate Patriot Enforcement Act to close tax loopholes. Blumenthal

2610-411: A foreign subsidiary to facilitate charitable work in a foreign country, then donors' contributions to the 501(c)(3) organization are tax-deductible even if intended to fund the foreign charitable activities. If a foreign organization sets up a 501(c)(3) organization for the sole purpose of raising funds for the foreign organization, and the 501(c)(3) organization sends substantially all contributions to

2755-526: A lawsuit against Robin Barnes, the president and treasurer of New Haven-based charter school the Village Academy, for serious financial mismanagement of the state-subsidized charitable organization. Citing common law, the suit sought to recover money misspent and serious damages resulting from Barnes's alleged breach of duty. In a Connecticut Supreme Court decision, Blumenthal v. Barnes (2002),

2900-444: A limited amount of lobbying to influence legislation. Although the law states that "no substantial part" of a public charity's activities can go to lobbying, charities with large budgets may lawfully expend a million dollars (under the "expenditure" test) or more (under the "substantial part" test) per year on lobbying. The Internal Revenue Service has never defined the term "substantial part" with respect to lobbying. To establish

3045-504: A list of banned coaches; critics questioned why the organization created to protect athletes was not leading that effort. It is a claim SafeSport officials denied, but which was the subject of focus of the new U.S. federal law of 2020. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Jerry Moran proposed measures to strengthen oversight of the SafeSport program in 2019, which were adopted in 2020. SafeSport critic attorney John Manly said that "SafeSport

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3190-594: A major Connecticut employer, by filing a lawsuit alleging that the move to reincorporate in Bermuda based on a shareholder's vote of May 9 was "rife with voting irregularities." The agreement to temporarily halt the move was signed by New Britain Superior Court Judge Marshall Berger. On June 3 Blumenthal referred the matter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for further investigation and on June 25 he testified before

3335-783: A manner consistent with a particular religion's religious beliefs does not qualify as a tax-exempt church. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are prohibited from conducting political campaign activities to intervene in elections to public office. The Internal Revenue Service website elaborates on this prohibition: Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of

3480-681: A matter in its discretionary jurisdiction, the Center may refer the matter to the appropriate sport’s national governing body." The 2022 Yates Report by former US Attorney General Sally Yates , which was commissioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) in response to the 2021 NWSL abuse scandal , states that "according to a December 2020 SafeSport report, it investigated 1,509 claims from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. Of those claims, it administratively closed 515 cases, put 115 cases on administrative hold, and closed 720 claims based on jurisdiction." According to

3625-621: A new terrorist surveillance bill including the telecom immunity provisions Blumenthal opposed. In August 2008, Blumenthal announced that Connecticut had joined California, Illinois and Florida in suing subprime mortgage lender Countrywide Financial (now owned by Bank of America ) for fraudulent business practices. The suit alleged that Countrywide pushed consumers into "deceptive, unaffordable loans and workouts, and charged homeowners in default unjustified and excessive legal fees." According to Blumenthal, "Countrywide conned customers into loans that were clearly unaffordable and unsustainable, turning

3770-467: A non-partisan manner do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity. In addition, other activities intended to encourage people to participate in the electoral process, such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, would not be prohibited political campaign activity if conducted in a non-partisan manner. On the other hand, voter education or registration activities with evidence of bias that (a) favor one candidate over another, (b) oppose

3915-561: A public list of people under sanction who are believed to threaten U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and affiliated organizations. Each name is removed after a sanction has run its course, often leaving no public record of the allegation and sanction. SafeSport does not generally reveal the nature and severity of the alleged misconduct, the evidence gathered by investigators, and whatever aggravating or mitigating factors might have influenced an arbitrator's decision on appeal. Center officials say that to "maintain its legitimacy in [the] community,

4060-473: A section dedicated to improvements to SafeSport, including its appeals process, which the report described as being hostile to victims in a manner that engendered re-victimization of accusers, while also allowing the accused to be reinstated. On July 19, 2023, 103 current and former U.S. Soccer senior and youth national team players representing the USSF Athlete's Council wrote an open letter to members of

4205-561: A separate 2000 lawsuit against the school's trustees filed on behalf of the State Department of Education. In 2003 Blumenthal, former Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly , Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch , and consumer advocates from Connecticut, Maine , and New Hampshire opposed "the formation of a regional transmission organization (RTO) that would merge three Northeast and mid-Atlantic power operators, called Independent Service Operators (ISOs), into

4350-442: A significant number of people associate themselves with the church on a regular basis, even if the church does not have a traditional established list of individual members. In order to qualify as a tax-exempt church, church activities must be a significant part of the organization's operations. An organization whose operations include a substantial nonexempt commercial purposes, such as operating restaurants and grocery stores in

4495-423: A significant portion of a church school's curriculum is religious education. For a payment to be a tax-deductible charitable contribution, it must be a voluntary transfer of money or other property with no expectation of procuring financial benefit equal to the transfer amount. Before donating to a 501(c)(3) organization, a donor can consult the searchable online IRS list of charitable organizations to verify that

U.S. Center for SafeSport - Misplaced Pages Continue

4640-402: A single super-regional RTO." In a press release, he said, "This fatally flawed RTO proposal will raise rates, reduce accountability and reward market manipulation . It will increase the power and profits of transmission operators with an immediate $ 40 million price tag for consumers." The opposition was due to a report authored by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc. Archived May 27, 2010, at

4785-432: A tax deduction on a charitable gift to a 501(c)(3) organization that is organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. An individual may not take

4930-440: A tax deduction on gifts made to a 501(c)(3) organization that is organized and operated exclusively for the testing for public safety. In the case of tuition fees paid to a private 501(c)(3) school or a church school, the payments are not tax-deductible charitable contributions because they are payments for services rendered to the payee or the payee's children. The payments are not tax-deductible charitable contributions even if

5075-408: A unanimous court determined that the state attorney general could act using only the powers specifically authorized by the state legislature, and that since the attorney general's jurisdiction is defined by statute rather than common law, Blumenthal lacked the authority to cite common law as the basis for filing suit against Barnes. Despite this ruling, Blumenthal announced that he intended to pursue

5220-563: A year at Trinity College, Cambridge , before attending Yale Law School , where he was editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal . From 1970 to 1976, Blumenthal served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve , attaining the rank of sergeant . After law school, Blumenthal passed the bar and served as administrative assistant and law clerk for several Washington, D.C. figures. From 1977 to 1981, he

5365-573: A year to resolve. According to Center staff, the length of time to resolve cases depends on the circumstances of the case, such as law enforcement involvement or reluctant or nonresponsive claimants." SafeSport's 2022 annual report stated that since it was created in March 2017, it had used administrative closures in 4,500 out of 12,751 cases, and found violations in 1,720. According to the December 2020 U.S. government report, "from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020, 27 cases were referred to arbitration. Of

5510-431: A year to resolve. According to Center staff, the length of time to resolve cases depends on the circumstances of the case, such as law enforcement involvement or reluctant or nonresponsive claimants." In 424 cases, the Center referred reports of alleged abuse to law enforcement . The report also explains that "the Center may reassess its jurisdictional decision at any time. If the Center declines to exercise jurisdiction over

5655-557: Is a searchable database of information about organizations over time. WikiCharities, is a nonprofit database of nonprofits and charities by name, location, and topic, that allows each organization to report its financials, leadership, contacts, and other activities. Section 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from supporting political candidates, as a result of the Johnson Amendment enacted in 1954. Section 501(c)(3) organizations are subject to limits on lobbying , having

5800-434: Is allowed to award grants to foreign charitable organizations if the grants are intended for charitable purposes and the grant funds are subject to the 501(c)(3) organization's control. Additional procedures are required of 501(c)(3) organizations that are private foundations . Donors' contributions to a 501(c)(3) organization are tax-deductible only if the contribution is for the use of the 501(c)(3) organization, and that

5945-725: Is also sought civil fines of up to $ 100,000 per violation of state banking laws, and up to $ 5,000 per violation of state consumer protection laws. In October 2008, Bank of America initially agreed to settle the states' suits for $ 8.4 billion, and in February 2010, Countrywide mailed payments of $ 3,452.54 to 370 Connecticut residents. The settlement forced Bank of America to establish a $ 150 million fund to help repay borrowers whose homes had been foreclosed upon, $ 1.3 million of which went to Connecticut. Blumenthal commented in defense of U.S. senator and Senate Banking Committee chair Christopher Dodd , who had been harshly criticized for accepting

U.S. Center for SafeSport - Misplaced Pages Continue

6090-549: Is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Connecticut , a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party , he is one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, with a net worth over $ 100 million. He was Attorney General of Connecticut from 1991 to 2011. Blumenthal graduated from Harvard University , where he was chair of The Harvard Crimson , then studied for

6235-744: Is an actual controversy regarding a determination or the Internal Revenue Service has failed to make a determination. In these cases, the United States Tax Court , the United States District Court for the District of Columbia , and the United States Court of Federal Claims have concurrent jurisdiction to issue a declaratory judgment of the organization's qualification if the organization has exhausted administrative remedies with

6380-477: Is neither a law enforcement agency nor a legal body of the U.S. judiciary ; but it can impose sanctions up to a lifetime ban of a person from involvement in Olympic sports. It can also forward its investigations to state and federal courts for due process and collaborate with law enforcement on investigations. It also maintains a public database of sanctioned people. As of October 2021, the Center had sanctioned 1,100 people. In May 2023, SafeSport reported that it

6525-478: Is neither a law enforcement agency nor a legal body of the U.S. judiciary , instead being a sports investigative body; however, it can forward its investigations to state and federal courts, which in turn can impose criminal penalties on the defendants. The aforementioned report states that "from February 2018, through June 2020, the Center created and resolved 3,909 cases. Most cases (63 percent) were resolved in 1 to 3 months, although 536 cases (14 percent) took over

6670-478: Is not required to be made available to the public, unless the organization is an independent foundation. Churches are generally exempt from this reporting requirement. Every 501(c)(2) organization must make available for public inspection its application for tax-exemption, including its Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ and any attachments, supporting documents, and follow-up correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service. The same public inspection requirement applies to

6815-492: Is now presumed in compliance with the substantiality test if they work within the limits. The Conable election requires a charity to file a declaration with the IRS and file a functional distribution of funds spreadsheet with their Form 990. IRS form 5768 is required to make the Conable election. A 501(c)(3) organization is allowed to conduct some or all of its charitable activities outside the United States. A 501(c)(3) organization

6960-665: Is on them to show they can do better. If not, we'll change the leadership. We'll provide more resources, we'll alter the rules. But [...] the burden is on SafeSport to show they can do the job, which so far they haven't. [...] we're going to hold them accountable." SafeSport defends its confidentiality policy, "which prohibits the sharing of documents related to a case, as designed to protect the privacy of everyone involved, including victims and witnesses." Nancy Hogshead-Makar , an American Olympic gold medalist swimmer and now an attorney, described it as "defendant-friendly." Attorney and law professor Jack Wiener, who represents three claimants in

7105-406: Is reduced to $ 400. There are some classes of organizations that automatically are treated as tax exempt under 501(c)(3), without the need to file Form 1023: The IRS released a software tool called Cyber Assistant in 2013, which was succeeded by Form 1023-EZ in 2014. There is an alternative way for an organization to obtain status if an organization has applied for a determination and either there

7250-584: Is solely designed to provide public relations cover for the US Olympic Committee", and that it "does an excellent job of keeping the facts secret." In September 2020, SafeSport temporarily suspended Paralympic swimmer Robert Griswold for alleged misconduct, but he was reinstated on appeal one month later. Another Paralympic swimmer, Parker Egbert, who has the mental capacity of a 5-year-old, alleged that subsequent to Griswold's reinstatement, Griswold violently and repeatedly raped him, including in

7395-415: Is still under investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport — an independent body separate from USA Fencing. We had hoped for a swifter resolution to this investigation, which has now stretched on for more than a year. We share in the frustration of fencers and fencing fans. The U.S. Center for SafeSport has the exclusive authority to adjudicate reports of alleged sexual abuse and sexual misconduct. As long as

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7540-467: Is that the organization is specifically limited in powers to purposes that the IRS classifies as tax-exempt purposes. Unlike for-profit corporations that benefit from broad and general purposes, non-profit organizations need to be limited in powers to function with tax-exempt status, but a non-profit corporation is by default not limited in powers until it specifically limits itself in the articles of incorporation or nonprofit corporate bylaws. This limiting of

7685-622: Is the daughter of real estate investor Peter L. Malkin . Her maternal grandfather was lawyer and philanthropist Lawrence Wien . In 1984, when he was 38, Blumenthal was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives , representing the 145th district . In 1987, he won a special election to fill a vacancy in the 27th district of the Connecticut Senate , at age 41. Blumenthal resided in Stamford, Connecticut . In

7830-648: The Commonwealth Fund . Blumenthal attended Riverdale Country School in the Riverdale section of the Bronx . He then attended Harvard College , from which he graduated in 1967 with an A.B. degree magna cum laude and membership in Phi Beta Kappa . As an undergraduate, he was editorial chairman of The Harvard Crimson . Blumenthal was a summer intern reporter for The Washington Post in

7975-520: The National Women's Soccer League . The USA Today report of May 2023 states that SafeSport's investigation into Dames remained open 18 months later, and that SafeSport had also required that USSF lift its suspension of Dames and restore his license, despite allegations both public and private that remained unresolved by SafeSport. The organization also did not explain its actions in the case, and its jurisdiction prohibited US Soccer from continuing

8120-776: The Second Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to allow Blumenthal's lawsuit to proceed. Blumenthal has said, "no reputable climate scientist disputes the reality of global warming. It is fact, plain and simple. Dithering will be disastrous." Blumenthal was often considered a top prospect for the Democratic nominee for governor of Connecticut , but never ran for the office. On March 18, 2007, Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie reported that Blumenthal had become seriously interested in running for governor in 2010. On February 2, 2009, Blumenthal announced he would forgo

8265-633: The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts exonerated Boston College in the matter. Virginia Tech accepted an invitation from the ACC and withdrew from the suit to remove itself from the awkward position of suing its new conference. An out-of-court $ 5 million settlement was eventually reached, which included a $ 1 million exit fee that Boston College was required to pay the Big East under the league's constitution. Some have speculated that

8410-510: The U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means that "Longtime American corporations with operations in other countries can dodge tens of millions of dollars in federal taxes by the device of reincorporating in another country" by "simply [filing] incorporation papers in a country with friendly tax laws, open a post-office box and hold an annual meeting there" and that Stanley Works, along with " Cooper Industries , Seagate Technologies , Ingersoll-Rand and PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting , to name but

8555-432: The U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives critical of SafeSport and calling upon the legislative bodies to reform the organization. They wrote that "the arbitration process can be damaging and retraumatizing for victims of abuse who have already participated in the process and shared their stories in full, only to have to do it all over again. If the victim decides not to go through the whole process again on appeal,

8700-649: The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation engage in oversight of SafeSport, and step in to ensure that SafeSport is adequately conducting investigations. He referred to what he called SafeSport's failure to carry out impartial and thorough investigations and ensure the safety of athletes it is charged with protecting. He highlighted the fact that despite serious outstanding allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual coercion, and other violent behaviors by former friends, peers, and current teammates, and an ongoing investigation, fencer Alen Hadzic

8845-501: The Wayback Machine , a Cambridge -based energy consulting firm, that alleged that consumers would be worse off under the merger. In 2004, Blumenthal sued Computer Plus Center of East Hartford and its owner, Gina Kolb, on behalf of the state. It was alleged that CPC overcharged $ 50 per computer, $ 500,000 in total, on a three-year, $ 17.2 million contract to supply computers to the state. Blumenthal sued for $ 1.75 million. Kolb

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8990-793: The Yale Law Journal was future United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich . He was also a classmate of future Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and radio host Michael Medved . Blumenthal received five draft deferments during the Vietnam War , first educational deferments, then deferments based on his occupation. In April 1970, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve , which, as The New York Times noted, "virtually guaranteed that he would not be sent to Vietnam". He served in units stationed in Washington, D.C., and Connecticut from 1970 to 1976, attaining

9135-710: The Yates Report described interviews with "representatives from the U.S. Center for SafeSport." The USA Today report also noted that SafeSport's administrative closures included coaches who were actively being sanctioned by their governing bodies, and due to SafeSport's exclusive jurisdiction, those governing bodies were required to end their sanctions, in some cases restoring licenses to coaches accused of abuse. The Yates Report included details of accusations of abuse against Chicago Red Stars and youth soccer coach Rory Dames , which resulted in Dames being banned for life from

9280-468: The federal government stepped in. In October 2020, the Center had about 1,200 open investigations, and about half of its staff were devoted to clearing the backlog; by October 2021, it had resolved 40% of its backlog. Launched in 2017 with just three full-time employees to investigate thousands of complaints, which were filed without any statute of limitations, the Center in 2020 had 91 employees, 57 contractors, 13 outside counsel, and 3 interns. As of 2021,

9425-504: The scientific consensus on climate change , that human activity is responsible for rising global temperatures and that prompt action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be taken. He has urged the Environmental Protection Agency to declare carbon dioxide a dangerous air pollutant. "I urge the new Obama EPA to declare carbon dioxide a danger to human health and welfare so we can at last begin addressing

9570-441: The "politicization of health policy" that went against the weight of scientific evidence and may have a chilling effect on future decisions by medical associations. In 2008, Blumenthal ended the investigation after the IDSA agreed to conduct a review of the guidelines. In 2010, an eight-member independent review panel unanimously agreed that the original 2006 guideline recommendations were "medically and scientifically justified" in

9715-434: The 14-point list is a guideline; it is not intended to be all-encompassing, and other facts and circumstances may be relevant factors. Although there is no definitive definition of a church for Internal Revenue Code purposes, in 1986 the United States Tax Court said that "A church is a coherent group of individuals and families that join together to accomplish the religious purposes of mutually held beliefs. In other words,

9860-409: The 1980s, Blumenthal testified in the state legislature in favor of abolishing Connecticut's death penalty statute. He did so after representing Joseph Green Brown, a Florida death row inmate who was found to have been wrongly convicted . Blumenthal succeeded in staving off Brown's execution just 15 hours before it was scheduled to take place, and gained a new trial for Brown. Blumenthal was elected

10005-761: The 23rd attorney general of Connecticut in 1990 and reelected in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. On October 10, 2002, he was awarded the Raymond E. Baldwin Award for Public Service by the Quinnipiac University School of Law . In May 1995, Blumenthal and the state of Connecticut filed lawsuits challenging a decision by the Department of the Interior to approve a bid by the federally recognized Mashantucket Pequot for annexation of 165 acres of land in

10150-580: The 27 cases referred to arbitration, six cases were referred to Temporary Measures Hearings, and the remaining 21 were referred to Merits Arbitration. Of the 21 cases referred to Merits Arbitration, 11 cases resulted in the Center’s findings and sanctions being substantially upheld, three cases resulted in the Center’s findings and sanctions being substantially modified, three cases resulted in the Center’s findings and sanctions being overturned, and four cases were in progress as of late August 2020. The Center publishes

10295-502: The 501(c)(3) designation. In 1980, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia recognized a 14-part test in determining whether a religious organization is considered a church for the purposes of the Internal Revenue Code: Having an established congregation served by an organized ministry is of central importance. Points 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, and 13 are also especially important. Nevertheless,

10440-405: The 501(c)(3) organization is not merely serving as an agent or conduit of a foreign charitable organization. The 501(c)(3) organization's management should review the grant application from the foreign organization, decide whether to award the grant based on the intended use of the funds, and require continuous oversight based on the use of funds. If the donor imposes a restriction or earmark that

10585-609: The American Dream of homeownership into a nightmare" and when consumers defaulted, "the company bullied them into workouts doomed to fail." He also claimed that Countrywide "crammed unconscionable legal fees into renegotiated loans, digging consumers deeper into debt" and "broke promises that homeowners could refinance, condemning them to hopelessly unaffordable loans." The lawsuit demanded that Countrywide make restitution to affected borrowers, give up improper gains and rescind, reform or modify all mortgages that broke state laws. It

10730-489: The Big East. According to Blumenthal, the case was pursued because "the future of the Big East Conference was at risk—the stakes huge for both state taxpayers and the university's good name." The suits cost the schools involved $ 2.2 million in the first four months of litigation. The lawsuit against the ACC was initially dismissed on jurisdictional grounds but was subsequently refiled. A declaratory judgment by

10875-463: The Bush administration for "endangering air quality by gutting a critical component of the federal Clean Air Act." The suit alleged that changes in the act would have exempted thousands of industrial air pollution sources from the act's New Source Review provision and that the new rules and regulations would lead to an increase in air pollution. While attorney general, Blumenthal was one of the leaders of

11020-607: The CDD. The directory includes the names of individuals subject to temporary measures because of the severity of allegations against them, as well as individuals sanctioned with some period of suspension or ineligibility. The Center does not publish the names of every individual sanctioned for violating the SafeSport Code. For example, the Center does not publish the names of minors or individuals whose sanctions do not materially limit their ability to participate in sports. According to

11165-435: The Center is unable to record claimant data. Additionally, cases often involve multiple allegations against the same individual, which is why the number of total claimants exceeds the number of cases with claimant data." The report further states that "From February 2018, through June 2020, the Center created and resolved 3,909 cases. Most cases (63 percent) were resolved in 1 to 3 months, although 536 cases (14 percent) took over

11310-527: The Center received 2,770 reports of sexual abuse, bringing the total since its establishment to more than 4,000 reports. By February 2020, the total was almost 5,000 reports; the Center had sanctioned 627 people. In 2020, the Pulitzer Center reported that "it is unclear in particular public informational materials, such as congressional testimony, how many of those individuals were banned for sexual abuse and how many were banned for other infractions of

11455-534: The Center, an arbitration hearing may overturn the Center's findings or sanctions when the arbitrator finds insufficient evidence to support violation or sanction. Substantially modified decisions are those where the arbitrator issues a decision and sanction of a different type than the Center issued or reduces the Center's sanction by 50 percent or more." The Center provides education to U.S. Olympic and Paralympic organizations and sells anti-abuse training to other groups. In 2019, its second year of operation, Center had

11600-792: The Citizens Crime Commission of Connecticut, a private, nonprofit organization. From 1981 to 1986, he was a volunteer counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund . At age 31, Blumenthal was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut , serving from 1977 to 1981. As the chief federal prosecutor of that state, he successfully prosecuted many major cases involving drug traffickers , organized crime , white collar criminals , civil rights violators, consumer fraud , and environmental pollution. In 1982, he married Cynthia Allison Malkin. She

11745-534: The Code, such as bullying or hazing. However, it is possible to see specific reasons for bans on the national database." By October 2021, SafeSport had sanctioned 1,100 people. From July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020, the Center imposed temporary measures in 123 of 2,027 cases that were created (6%); in all the other cases the measures imposed are final and cannot be appealed. The Center imposes temporary measures only when it believes that they are necessary, based on

11890-548: The Court, if it were to squarely examine the political-activity prohibition of § 501(c)(3), would uphold it against a constitutional challenge. However, some have suggested that a successful challenge to the political activities prohibition of Section 501(c)(3) might be more plausible in light of Citizens United v. FEC . In contrast to the prohibition on political campaign interventions by all section 501(c)(3) organizations, public charities (but not private foundations) may conduct

12035-400: The December 2020 U.S. Government Accountability Office report, the Center imposed sanctions in 262 cases during that period; in 71% consisting of some level of suspension or ineligibility. In 95 cases, "ineligibility until further notice" was the highest sanction imposed by the Center. In 57 cases, "permanent ineligibility" was the highest sanction imposed by the Center. In 33 cases, the sanction

12180-570: The IDSA guidelines was not challenged, and a journalist writing in Nature Medicine suggested some IDSA members may not have disclosed potential conflicts of interest, while a Forbes piece described Blumenthal's investigation as "intimidation" of scientists by an elected official with close ties to Lyme advocacy groups. The Journal of the American Medical Association described the decision as an example of

12325-432: The Internal Revenue Service. Prior to October 9, 1969, nonprofit organizations could declare themselves to be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) without first obtaining Internal Revenue Service recognition by filing Form 1023 and receiving a determination letter. A nonprofit organization that did so prior to that date could still be subject to challenge of its status by the Internal Revenue Service. Individuals may take

12470-646: The London Bureau. He was selected for a Fiske Fellowship, which allowed him to study at Trinity College of the University of Cambridge in England for one year after graduation from Harvard. In 1973, Blumenthal received his J.D. degree from Yale Law School , where he was editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal . At Yale, he was classmates with future president Bill Clinton and future Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . One of his co-editors of

12615-418: The SafeSport matter of fencer Alen Hadzic, alleged in an interview with The New York Times that "SafeSport's system is rigged. It tilts overwhelmingly against victims of sexual assault." A USA Today article in May 2023 published an account of emails between Wiener and a SafeSport investigator in which Wiener suggested SafeSport had not followed up with his clients on the investigation in two years. Dan Hill,

12760-542: The Tomasso Group). Lawyers for the Tomasso Group argued that the attorney general had no special power to look into the operations of private firms under whistleblower law as no actual whistleblowers had come forward and all incriminating testimony was in related federal cases. Connecticut law requires the attorney general to both be the attorney for the state and investigate the state government's misdeeds, and

12905-498: The ability of older users to search for members under 18. In 2024, Blumenthal helped lead the Kids Online Safety Act to address depression, sexual exploitation, bullying, harassment, and other harms children experience online. In March 2008, Blumenthal issued a letter to Craigslist attorneys demanding that the website cease allowing postings for erotic services, which he claimed promoted prostitution, and accused

13050-496: The arbitrator issues a decision and sanction of a different type than the Center issued or reduces the Center's sanction by 50 percent or more. SafeSport has been criticized for not being sufficiently independent from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), from which it receives most of its funding. An example that has been pointed to is that SafeSport was not the first organization to publish

13195-490: The case of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct, the Center’s exclusive jurisdiction means that none of the other U.S. Olympic or Paralympic organizations have authority to investigate sexual misconduct in their own ranks. There are no statute of limitations . Reporting to SafeSport, both online and by telephone, is key to its mission. Upon receiving a report, Center staff considers the number of individuals who allege that they have experienced misconduct, whether they were minors,

13340-550: The center needs to be perceived as fair: tenacious in protecting young athletes while providing due process to those who face reputation-ruining allegations that might prevent them from competing or coaching." SafeSport defends its confidentiality policy, "which prohibits the sharing of documents related to a case, as designed to protect the privacy of everyone involved, including victims and witnesses." The 2020 U.S. government report said: "...according to Center staff, as of June 30, 2020, approximately 1,300 individuals were listed in

13485-494: The company, it sent the case to a new judge to hold hearings and determine appropriate remedies. Remedies were later proposed by Blumenthal and eight other attorneys general; these included requiring that Microsoft license an unbundled version of Windows in which middleware and operating system code were not commingled. In 2001, the Bush administration's DOJ settled with Microsoft in an agreement criticized by many states and other industry experts as insufficient. In November 2002,

13630-405: The contribution must be used for foreign activities, then the contribution is deemed to be for the foreign organization rather than the 501(c)(3) organization, and the contribution is not tax-deductible. The purpose of the grant to the foreign organization cannot include endorsing or opposing political candidates for elected office in any country. If a 501(c)(3) organization sets up and controls

13775-467: The decision a victory against sexual exploitation of women and children, and against human trafficking connected to prostitution. Blumenthal and other state attorneys general reached a settlement with Craigslist on the issue; the settlement called for the company to charge people via credit card for any ads that were suggestive in nature so the person could be tracked down if they were determined to be offering prostitution. But Blumenthal remarked that after

13920-588: The decision is automatically overturned, and the perpetrator is free to enter back into the sport. […] Victims cannot appeal a decision that finds their alleged abuser was not culpable. And SafeSport does not turn over records to the victim so that they can be sure that justice was done." 501(c)(3) 501(c)(3) tax-exemptions apply to entities that are organized and operated exclusively for religious , charitable , scientific , literary or educational purposes, for testing for public safety , to foster national or international amateur sports competition, or for

14065-496: The evidentiary support for the allegations, the severity of the allegations, and/or the perceived risk to athletes or the sport community. The Center guarantees appeal hearings on temporary suspensions within 72 hours, if requested by the Respondent. At the hearing before the arbitrator, the Respondent who has been sanctioned, usually with their attorney, argues to have their punishment reduced or revoked. The Arbitrator considers

14210-449: The foreign organization, then donors' contributions to the 501(c)(3) organization are not tax-deductible to the donors. The main differences between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations lie in their purposes and the tax-exempt benefits they receive. Here is a brief explanation of the differences: Richard Blumenthal Richard Blumenthal ( / ˈ b l uː m ə n θ ɑː l / BLOO -mən-thahl ; born February 13, 1946)

14355-575: The implementation of technological changes aimed at protecting children from pornography and child predators on the company's website. At Blumenthal's urging, MySpace installed a link to free blocking software ("K9 Web Protection"), but in May 2006, Blumenthal announced that the site had failed to make the program easy to find and that it was not clearly labeled. He also urged MySpace to take further steps to safeguard children, including purging deep links to pornography and inappropriate material, tougher age verification, and banning users under 16. Blumenthal

14500-524: The insurer behind the performance bond for the I-84 construction, agreed to pay $ 17.5 million to settle the claims. Under the agreement, the state of Connecticut retained the right to sue L.G. DeFelice for additional funds. In 2009, the bonding company agreed to pay an additional $ 4.6 million settlement, bringing the total award to $ 22.1 million ($ 30,000 more than the repair costs). In November 2006, Blumenthal tried, as Paul A. Offit described it, "to legislate

14645-450: The investigation into Dames on its own. Former U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates , who authored the report, suggested that the USSF not rely exclusively on SafeSport to investigate claims of abuse, and blamed the inaction by multiple governing bodies on the lack of jurisdictional clarity introduced by SafeSport's exclusive jurisdiction over abuse investigations. The Yates Report also included

14790-425: The lawsuit was one of the biggest reasons that the University of Connecticut was not sought after by the ACC during its 2011 additions of then-Big East members Syracuse and Pittsburgh . From 2013 to 2020 UConn was a member of the less lucrative American Athletic Conference , the successor to the original Big East, before rejoining the Big East in 2020. On October 2, 2006, Blumenthal launched an investigation of

14935-566: The light of the evidence. The committee did not change any of the earlier recommendations but did alter some of the language in an executive summary of the findings. Blumenthal said he would review the final report. In March 2006, Blumenthal noted that more than seven incidents of sexual assault in Connecticut had been linked directly to MySpace contacts. Earlier that year, Blumenthal and attorneys general in at least five other states were involved in discussions with MySpace that resulted in

15080-567: The merits. The hearing is strictly limited to determining if there was reasonable cause to impose the temporary measures. If an Arbitrator modifies or denies temporary measures, the Center nevertheless can again impose temporary measures in the same case in the future. In addition, the Arbitrator's decision is inadmissible, and is not given any weight, if there is a subsequent final decision with sanctions imposed, which in turn goes to arbitration. The Center refers to an allegation of misconduct as

15225-457: The names of every individual sanctioned for violating the SafeSport Code. For example, the Center does not publish the names of minors or individuals whose sanctions do not materially limit their ability to participate in sports. According to the Center, an arbitration hearing may overturn the Center's findings or sanctions when the arbitrator finds insufficient evidence to support violation or sanction. Substantially modified decisions are those where

15370-546: The names of sanctioned adults who the Center believes pose a potential risk to U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes and affiliated organizations in its online Centralized Disciplinary Database (CDD). According to Center staff, as of June 30, 2020, approximately 1,300 individuals were listed in the CDD. The directory includes the names of individuals subject to temporary measures because of the severity of allegations against them, as well as individuals sanctioned with some period of suspension or ineligibility. The Center does not publish

15515-624: The number of registered sex offenders on its site. In 2009, MySpace revealed that over a two-year span it had roughly 90,000 members who were registered sex offenders (nearly double what MySpace officials had originally estimated one year earlier). Blumenthal accused MySpace of having "monstrously inadequate counter-measures" to prevent sex offenders from creating MySpace profiles. Blumenthal and Cooper secured agreements from MySpace and Facebook to make their sites safer. Both implemented dozens of safeguards, including finding better ways to verify users' ages, banning convicted sex offenders, and limiting

15660-495: The number of witnesses, and the volume of and difficulty in obtaining evidence. The severity of abuse and misconduct can range from inappropriate conduct (such as butt slapping), to rape and forcible sexual assault . On a discretionary basis, SafeSport also reviews and acts on allegations other than those of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct, such as emotional abuse, bullying, and harassment. SafeSport collaborates with law enforcement on reported investigations. SafeSport maintains

15805-483: The operating system to its Internet Explorer browser, was eventually merged with a federal case brought by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under Attorney General Janet Reno . A 2000 landmark federal court decision ruled that Microsoft had violated antitrust laws, and the court ordered that the company be broken up. In 2001, the federal appeals court agreed, but rather than break up

15950-410: The organization had more than 100 employees, has gotten through 40% of its backlog, and had sanctioned 1,100 people. As of May 2023, SafeSport reported that it was receiving 150 reports per week, or about 8,000 per year, and had an annual budget of $ 21 million and a staff of 117 people. Sexual misconduct claims in U.S. Olympic & Paralympic sports rose 55% between 2018 and 2019. In that latter year,

16095-515: The organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes. Certain activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances. For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted in

16240-435: The organization qualifies to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. Consumers may file IRS Form 13909, with documentation, to complain about inappropriate or fraudulent (i.e., fundraising, political campaigning, lobbying) activities by any 501(c)(3) organization. Most 501(c)(3) must disclose the names and addresses of certain large donors to the Internal Revenue Service on their annual returns, but this information

16385-840: The organization's annual return, namely its Form 990 , Form 990-EZ, Form 990-PF, Form 990-T, and Form 1065, including any attachments, supporting documents, and follow-up correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service, with the exception of the names and addresses of donors on Schedule B. Annual returns must be publicly available for a three-year period beginning with the due date of the return, including any extension of time for filing. The Internal Revenue Service provides information about specific 501(c)(3) organizations through its Tax Exempt Organization Search online. A private nonprofit organization, GuideStar , provides information on 501(c)(3) organizations. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer provides copies of each organization's Form 990 and, for some organizations, audited financial statements. Open990

16530-673: The other countries, where they do not exist, and the ineffective system operated previously by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and national sports federations." Regarding the Yates Report commissioned by the United States Soccer Federation, SafeSport CEO Ju'Riese Cólon said in a May 2023 interview with USA Today that she could not comment on the report's numbers due to SafeSport not having been interviewed for it. However,

16675-418: The outcome of this investigation remains unresolved, USA Fencing is obligated to allow Hadzic to compete internationally. But we have taken decisive action where we can. For the past year, we have implemented a safety plan designed to protect athletes, coaches and staff at all tournaments at which Hadzic has been a participant. While we await the conclusion of this protracted investigation, we will continue to put

16820-457: The potentially disastrous threat global warming poses to health, the environment and our economy. We must make up for lost time before it's too late to curb dangerous warming threatening to devastate the planet and human society." He has brought suit against a number of electric utilities in the Midwest, arguing that coal -burning power plants are generating excess CO 2 emissions. In 2009,

16965-409: The powers is crucial to obtaining tax exempt status with the IRS and then on the state level. Organizations acquire 501(c)(3) tax exemption by filing IRS Form 1023 . As of 2006 , the form must be accompanied by an $ 850 filing fee if the yearly gross receipts for the organization are expected to average $ 10,000 or more. If yearly gross receipts are expected to average less than $ 10,000, the filing fee

17110-676: The prevention of cruelty to children or animals . 501(c)(3) exemption applies also for any non-incorporated community chest , fund, cooperating association or foundation organized and operated exclusively for those purposes. There are also supporting organizations—often referred to in shorthand form as "Friends of" organizations. 26 U.S.C.   § 170 provides a deduction for federal income tax purposes, for some donors who make charitable contributions to most types of 501(c)(3) organizations, among others. Regulations specify which such deductions must be verifiable to be allowed (e.g., receipts for donations of $ 250 or more). Due to

17255-580: The rank of sergeant . During his 2010 Senate campaign , news report videos that showed Blumenthal claiming he had served in Vietnam created a controversy. He denied having intentionally misled voters, but acknowledged having occasionally "misspoken" about his service record. He later apologized to voters for remarks about his military service that he said had not been "clear or precise". Blumenthal served as administrative assistant to Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff , as aide to Daniel P. Moynihan when Moynihan

17400-407: The reasonableness of the suspension based on the evidence and the seriousness of the allegations. The Arbitrator's decision is issued within 24 hours of the hearing's end, and is not subject to appeal. At a temporary measures hearing, the Arbitrator does not resolve whether the Respondent committed a violation, or what the appropriate sanctions should be if a violation is found. It is not a hearing on

17545-522: The room that Griswold shared with the claimant at the Paralympic Games in 2021. The claimant has filed a lawsuit against Griswold, SafeSport (for negligence, claiming SafeSport failed to protect Egbert from Griswold, despite previous complaints of sexual assault by Griswold having been made to SafeSport in 2020), and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee in federal court in Colorado. At

17690-517: The rules governing the office did not adequately address this inherent conflict of interest. The state's case against the Tomasso Group failed but federal investigations ended in prison sentences for the Group's president, for Rowland, and for a number of his associates. The Tomasso Group stopped bidding on state contracts to avoid a substantial legal challenge from Blumenthal under newly written compliance statutes. In September 1999, Blumenthal announced

17835-523: The safety of our athletes, coaches and staff above all else." As of May 2023, SafeSport's investigation into Hadzic was still open. In February 2022, in an ABC News ' Nightline program on criticisms of SafeSport titled "Sports misconduct watchdog faces crisis of confidence," U.S. Senator Blumenthal said: "There is simply no way that SafeSport can be given a passing grade," that "these young athletes deserve better protection," and that SafeSport does not have his confidence and trust. U.S. Senator Moran echoed

17980-579: The section down permanently and take steps to eradicate prostitution ads from other parts of the site. He also called on Congress to alter a landmark communications law (the Communications Decency Act ) that Craigslist has cited in defense of the ads. Following continued pressure, Craigslist removed the adult services sections from its U.S. sites in September 2010 and from its international sites in December 2010. Blumenthal called

18125-461: The sentiment, stating that every athlete-victim he visited "had little or no confidence in SafeSport." The Senators said they believe that more transparency is required from SafeSport – which does not make public its investigative findings or arbitration decisions – to protect young athletes, and that SafeSport must make its work public. Academics, athletes, and activists have also criticized SafeSport for lack of transparency. Blumenthal said: "The burden

18270-485: The settlement was estimated at $ 3.6 billion. In December 2007, Blumenthal filed suit against RJ Reynolds , alleging that a 2007 Camel advertising spread in Rolling Stone magazine used cartoons in violation of the master tobacco settlement, which prohibited the use of cartoons in cigarette advertising because they entice children and teenagers to smoke. The company paid the state of Connecticut $ 150,000 to settle

18415-485: The settlement, the ads continued to flourish using code words. In October 2007, Blumenthal and the attorneys general of four other states lobbied Congress to reject proposals to provide immunity from litigation to telecommunications firms that cooperated with the federal government's terrorist surveillance program following the September 11 attacks . In 2008 Congress passed and President George W. Bush signed into law

18560-443: The site of "turning a blind eye" to the problem. He worked with Craigslist and a group of 40 attorneys general to create new measures on the site designed to thwart ads for prostitution and other illegal sexual activities. In April 2009, Craigslist came under the scrutiny of law enforcement agencies following the arrest of Philip Markoff (the "Craigslist Killer"), suspected of killing a 25-year-old masseuse he met through Craigslist at

18705-504: The site was taking sufficient action to curb prostitution ads and whether it was profiting from them. He said that prostitution ads remained on the site despite previous assurances that they would be removed. The subpoena sought documents related to Craigslist's processes for reviewing potentially objectionable ads, as well as documents detailing the revenue gained from ads sold to Craigslist's erotic services and adult services categories. In August 2010, Blumenthal called on Craigslist to shut

18850-426: The suit and agreed to end the advertising campaign. In May 1998, Blumenthal and the attorneys general of 19 other states and the District of Columbia filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Microsoft , accusing it of abusing its monopoly power to stifle competition. The suit, which centered on Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system and its contractual restrictions imposed on personal computer manufacturers to tie

18995-503: The tax deductions associated with donations, loss of 501(c)(3) status can be highly challenging if not fatal to a charity's continued operation, as many foundations and corporate matching funds do not grant funds to a charity without such status, and individual donors often do not donate to such a charity due to the unavailability of tax deduction for contributions. The two exempt classifications of 501(c)(3) organizations are as follows: The basic requirement of obtaining tax-exempt status

19140-545: The tax rolls of the surrounding towns and bar local control over how the land is used, while imposing [a] tremendous burden." The tribe announced the withdrawal of the land annexation petition in February 2002. In 1997, Blumenthal and Governor John G. Rowland petitioned the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address interstate air pollution problems created from Midwest and southeastern sources. The petition

19285-500: The towns of Ledyard , North Stonington and Preston . The Pequot were attempting to have the land placed in a federal trust, a legal designation to provide them with land for their sovereign control, as long years of colonization had left them landless. Blumenthal argued that the Interior Department's decision in support of this action was "fatally, legally flawed, and unfair" and that "it would unfairly remove land from

19430-501: Was United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut . In the early 1980s he worked in private law practice, including as volunteer counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund . Blumenthal served one term in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1985 to 1987; in 1986 he was elected to the Connecticut Senate and began service in 1987. He was elected Attorney General of Connecticut in 1990 and served for 20 years. During this period political observers speculated about him as

19575-718: Was "influenced by partiality or mistake." Blumenthal played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the departures of Boston College , Miami , and Virginia Tech from the Big East . He led efforts by the Big East football schools (Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia) in legal proceedings against the Atlantic Coast Conference , the University of Miami and Boston College, accusing them of improper disclosure of confidential information and of conspiring to dismantle

19720-499: Was "suspension for a specified period of time," in 58 cases it was probation, while in 19 cases it was a warning. SafeSport explains that for the purpose of "maintain[ing] its legitimacy in [the] community, the center needs to be perceived as fair: tenacious in protecting young athletes while providing due process to those who face reputation-ruining allegations that might prevent them from competing or coaching." The Center cannot indict or jail individuals accused of sexual misconduct, as it

19865-445: Was Assistant to President Richard Nixon , and as a law clerk to Judge Jon O. Newman , U.S. District Court of the District of Connecticut , and to Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun . Before becoming attorney general, Blumenthal was a partner in the law firm of Cummings & Lockwood, and subsequently in the law firm of Silver, Golub & Sandak. In December 1982, while still at Cummings & Lockwood, he created and chaired

20010-665: Was allowed to travel to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as an alternate, although he was forced to stay at a separate hotel due to an ongoing investigation. USA Fencing specifically prohibited him from staying at his teammates' hotel due to their complaints about Hadzic. USA Fencing's website in 2022 stated the following about the Hadzic situation: "We understand that many in the USA Fencing community will question Alen Hadzic’s inclusion on our 2022 Senior World Team, given that he

20155-415: Was arrested in 2004 and charged with first-degree larceny. Kolb later countersued, claiming the state had grossly abused its power. Kolb was initially awarded $ 18.3 million in damages, but Blumenthal appealed the decision and the damages initially awarded were reduced to $ 1.83 million. Superior Court judge Barry Stevens described the jury's initial award of $ 18.3 million as a "shocking injustice" and said it

20300-590: Was co-chair, along with North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper , of the State Attorney General Task Force on Social Networking. In 2008, the attorneys general commissioned the Internet Safety Technical Task Force report, which researched "ways to help squash the onslaught of sexual predators targeting younger social-networking clients". Blumenthal's office subpoenaed MySpace for information about

20445-463: Was filed in accordance with Section 126 of the Clean Air Act , which allows a state to request pollution reductions from out-of-state sources that contribute significantly to its air quality problems. In 2003, Blumenthal and the attorneys general of eight other states (New York, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont) filed a federal lawsuit against

20590-541: Was involved in a series of lawsuits against associates of Connecticut governor Rowland and the various entities of the Tomasso Group over Tomasso's bribing of state officials, including Rowland, in exchange for the awarding of lucrative state contracts. Blumenthal subpoenaed Tomasso Brothers Inc.; Tomasso Brothers Construction Co.; TBI Construction Co. LLC; Tunxis Plantation Country Club; Tunxis Management Co.; Tunxis Management Co. II; and Tenergy Water LLC (all part of

20735-558: Was raised in Omaha, Nebraska , graduated from Radcliffe College , and became a social worker. Martin Blumenthal had a career in financial services and became president of a commodities trading firm. Jane's father, Fred "Fritz" Rosenstock, raised cattle, and as youths Blumenthal and his brother often visited their grandfather's farm. Blumenthal's brother David Blumenthal is a doctor and health care policy expert who became president of

20880-430: Was receiving 150 reports per week, or about 8,000 per year, and had an annual budget of $ 21 million and a staff of 117 people. SafeSport's primary responsibility, as to which it has exclusive jurisdiction in the United States, is to review allegations of sexual misconduct within U.S. Olympic or Paralympic organizations, and to impose sanctions up to lifetime banning of a person from involvement in all Olympic sports. In

21025-457: Was reelected in 2016 with 63.2% of the vote, becoming the first person to receive more than a million votes in a statewide election in Connecticut, and reelected again in 2022 . Blumenthal was born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York , the son of Jane ( née Rosenstock) and Martin Blumenthal. At age 17, Martin Blumenthal immigrated to the United States from Frankfurt, Germany ; Jane

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