At a Baltimore library event on Thursday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s endorsement of Democrat Presidential candidate Kamala Harris might have landed her in hot water. Republican Maryland Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) has claimed that Pelosi could be in violation of an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rule that bars nonprofits from participating in political activities, according to a letter he penned on Monday which was scooped up exclusively by the Daily Caller.
Pelosi, hailing from Baltimore, returned to her roots with a visit to the Central Enoch Pratt Free Library on Thursday evening. Initially billed as part of a book tour, the event quickly took on the air of a campaign rally as Pelosi threw her support behind Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee for president.
“I didn’t know we could talk politics,” Pelosi remarked to a packed audience before scanning the room and adding, “I think we’re talking civics here right now, right?” she said according to The Baltimore Sun. Pelosi’s comments were in reference to an IRS rule that prevents nonprofit entities like the Pratt Library from engaging in campaign activities for political candidates.
“Why is Nancy Pelosi campaigning for presidential candidates at a nonprofit organization such as the Pratt Free Library in Baltimore?” Rep. Harris wrote on X. “There is supposed to be an IRS regulation that prohibits nonprofit organizations from engaging in elections. What is the Pratt Library’s tax exempt status?”
“Kamala Harris should be elected president of the United States because she is the best person for the job,” Pelosi continued in her speech before outlining the approach she believes the Democrat Party needs to adopt to secure victory.
“People vote in their self-interest,” she continued, “And we want to make sure they see their self-interest clearly in the distinction between the two parties. We have to make that case to the American people. It hasn’t been made strongly enough. They don’t fully appreciate it, and we take responsibility for their lack of appreciation. But we want to drive the message home.”
The Pratt Free Library, classified as a 501(c)(3) organization, is a nonprofit entity in the United States. The designation, provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), means that the library is recognized as a tax-exempt, charitable organization. Such organizations must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3).
In practical terms, this status allows the library to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions from donors. However, it also places restrictions on the library’s activities, especially regarding political involvement. Specifically, 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from participating in any campaign activity for or against political candidates. This means they cannot endorse candidates, make donations to political campaigns, engage in fundraising activities related to political campaigns, or make public statements for or against a political candidate in an official capacity.
Rep. Andy Harris wrote in his letter to Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO), “Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited the Pratt library for what was described as a book tour, but what ended up being a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris.”
