Bill Bennett: “I raised the issue because lawyers on our side examined the underlying legislation and said the way it was worded, it…”

“I raised the issue because lawyers on our side examined the underlying legislation and said the way it was worded, it could, in fact, be interpreted to prevent the 501(c)(3) activity that is purely educational and not connected with lobbying in any way, in which many of us participate. The flagship example of that is the Aspen Institute and their Congressional Program. I am told the Aspen Institute has approved the language that is in the underlying bill. But I am convinced from the analysis of the lawyers that someone who wanted to do that program harm could, in fact, take the language of the underlying bill and attack the Aspen Institute Congressional Program. Furthermore, while the Aspen Institute is perhaps the best known and the best supported, there are a number of other purely educational programs conducted by groups that have some connection with lobbyists. They do not take lobbyists on the trip. The lobbyists do not use the trip in any way.”