Rivals protest endorsement of Tamayo by her nonprofit

The nonprofit organization Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo co-founded promoted her campaign for City Council on its website, prompting other candidates in the race to cry foul. Stand Up for America was founded by Tamayo and her father, state Senator Mike Gabbard, after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to promote patriotism and America's unity as "one nation under God."

Stand Up for America is exempt from paying income taxes and may receive tax-deductible contributions as a charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service code. Such nonprofits may not endorse political candidates.

Since mid-July, however, the organization’s website featured a news release from the Tamayo campaign announcing her candidacy, highlighting her "record of proven leadership" and including quotations from Tamayo and a link to VoteTulsi.com, her campaign website. Tamayo, vice president of the nonprofit – her father is its president – said she didn't realize the news release and campaign link were on the nonprofit's website.

"It was an honest mistake from a volunteer," she told reporters. "I'm very, very sensitive to the perception of impropriety. I wasn't aware that the press release was posted on there. I need to talk to the volunteer who helped with the website and we'll get that corrected immediately. … I hadn't been to our Stand Up for America website recently so I didn't know that that was up there," said Tamayo, a former state legislator who represented Waipahu and Ewa. The news release and link were removed from the website in early September.

Hugh Jones, supervising deputy attorney general, said,  “The federal tax laws contain an absolute prohibition on a charity directly or indirectly participating in or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for elective office. Charities that do become embroiled in political activity threaten their tax-exempt status.”