In response to questions by reporters, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings again denied improprieties in the operation of a nonprofit she heads called the Center for Global Policy Solutions (CGPS). The improprieties were alleged in a May 20 IRS Complaint and June 7 Amendment filed by the National Legal and Policy Center. The denials took place at an event today at which she announced that she is a candidate for her late husband’s Congressional seat.
Cummings claimed, “There’s no merit to the IRS complaint… I’ll be willing to stand before anyone and refute those claims.” So far, Mrs. Cummings has not addressed any of our specific charges. She has only offered sweeping denials, and called NLPC names.
Also, Cummings falsely claimed to NLPC Chairman Peter Flaherty, who was present at the event, that she has provided the group’s annual tax return IRS Form 990 to “everyone who has asked.”
Flaherty has been seeking the document for several months. On April 29, 2019, Flaherty phoned Cummings to ask for the CGPS address in order to obtain the 990. Three days earlier, Flaherty had gone to the address listed on the CGPS website. The office space was empty.
From the Internal Revenue Code:
In general, exempt organizations must make available for public inspection certain annual returns and applications for exemption, and must provide copies of such returns and applications to individuals who request them. Copies usually must be provided immediately in the case of in-person requests, and within 30 days in the case of written requests. The tax-exempt organization may charge a reasonable copying fee plus actual postage, if any.
During the April phone call, Flaherty twice asked for the CGPS address, which Cummings refused to provide. Following the second request, Cummings hung up on Flaherty.
Cummings’ ongoing failure to provide the CGPS tax return is a violation of the Internal Revenue Code. According to Flaherty,” Any nonprofit executive knows that his or her organization’s tax return must be provided to any member of the public who asks for it. Mrs. Cummings’ refusal prompts the question of what she is hiding.”
Of course, withholding the 990 is the least serious of several violations of the Internal Revenue Code cited in the Complaint and Amendment. For the Complaint, click here. For the Amendment, click here.
Here’s an interview Flaherty did on WBAL radio.
For more information, call Dan Rene 202-329-8357 (cell).