ALEC says its tasks are not lobbying.

Common Cause disagrees. “It tells the internal revenue service in the taxation statements that it does no lobbying, yet it exists to give profit-driven legislation in statehouses nationwide that benefits its corporate members,” said Bob Edgar, president of Common Cause, inside a statement. “ALEC is just not permitted abuse its charitable tax status to lobby kind of corporate interests, and stick into your market to your American taxpayer.”

Common Cause wants an IRS audit of ALEC’s work, penalties and also the payment of back taxes.

Alan P. Dye, a lawyer for ALEC, said the claim from Common Cause ignores what the law states and distorts the truth.

“After thirty years of counseling clients on nonprofit and federal disclosure requirements, it’s clear in my experience that is often a tired campaign to abuse the legal system, distort the details and tarnish the standing of ideological foes,” Dye said.

ALEC may be active because the 1970s and it has long drawn the ire of open government groups who question the secretive growth of legislation and close relationship between private sector officials and lawmakers who meet at conferences to jointly develop model legislation. Liberal activists have seized on ALEC’s support of so-called “Stand Your Ground” laws, coordinating an offer up against the group inside wake in the shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

George Zimmerman, who’s got been charged in Martin’s death, maintains he shot in self-defense. His attorney intentions to cite the “Stand Your Ground” law, which supplies people wide latitude make use of deadly force rather than retreat after a fight.

Amid the backlash, several companies with previously supported ALEC financially, including Coca-Cola Co. and McDonald’s Corp., said they can be will no longer members. And ALEC said it was disbanding its public safety task force that helped export the Florida law with states.

Those task forces consume high of ALEC’s spending, and Common Cause believes they’re simply forums for lobbying. Common Cause said its complaint was based on over 4,000 pages of ALEC records, including talking points that ALEC workers given to lawmakers to be able to better argue with respect to the legislation the audience develops.