NAR

In light of the recent Supreme Court decision empowering corporations to engage in wholesale electioneering in favor of specific candidates, I decided to revisit a story Greg Flynn covered back in 2008. Since it involves both state and national realty ticks, be prepared to roll down your socks and check your head after reading, to avoid any exposure to lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

In a little noticed action in 2007 the National Association of Realtors was fined $78,000 by the Federal Election Commission for violations of election law including $282,500 spent on mailings and advertisements expressly advocating the election of Richard Burr for Senate in 2004. The FEC found that the National Association of Realtors 527 Fund failed to register and file disclosure reports as a Federal political committee and accepted contributions in violation of Federal limits and source prohibitions. In total the NAR 527 Fund spent $2.8 million advocating the election of 9 federal candidates in 2004 including Richard Burr, their favorite son Johnny Isakson, a Georgia realtor, and the disgraced Rick Renzi.

The campaigning for Richard Burr spurred the complaint by one North Carolina man, Thomas Strini, of Mint Hill, and subsequent enforcement action by the FEC.