Fair board: Proposed Trump rally would violate nonprofit restrictions
After denying a request by former President Donald Trump to hold a rally at the Randolph Fairgrounds, the board that oversees the Portage County fair said that allowing it would jeopardize the group’s tax exempt status.
Tracey Koszalka, president of the fair board, issued a statement days after news of the attempted rally broke. Portage County Commissioners Tony Badalamenti and Sabrina Christianbennett, both Republicans, discussed the request for the rally at a recent commissioners meeting. Badalamenti advocated for commissioners to overturn the fair board’s decision and require that they allow the rally while Christian-bennett suggested other venues in the county.
Portage County Fair organized for charitable purposes, forbidden from any political campaign
“The Portage County Agricultural Society dba Randolph Fair is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations described under Section 501(C)(3) of the internal revenue code or corresponding section of any future federal tax code,” read a statement, issued on behalf of The Portage County Agricultural Society Board of Directors.
Hosting a political rally would violate restrictions on non-profit groups, according to the statement.
“Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office,” the statement continued. “Unfortunately, we regret that much of the information that has been reported to date has been inaccurate.”
Neither Koszalka nor Debi Heppe, secretary of the fair board, returned phone calls seeking comment prior for the April 8 story.
One Republican commissioner wanted to compel fair board to hold rally, another sought alternative sites
Badalamenti told fellow commissioners that he had spoken several times to Secretary of State Frank Larose and members of Trump’s advance team about a rally they had hoped to host on April 24 at the fairgrounds in Randolph. The callers said that they talked to a representative of the fair board, who gave “multiple reasons” why the rally could not take place.
Badalamenti said he believed the commissioners could compel the fair board to hold the event.
“I think any president who would like to come to Portage County, it would be an honor to have them,” he said. “We were pretty blatantly rude to their [Trump’s] advance team.”
Christian-bennett, meanwhile, said that although the commissioners insure the fairgrounds and buildings on it, the fair is operated by an independent board. She said she suggested alternative locations in Portage County for the rally, but those were rejected by the Trump team.
Christian-bennett said she spoke to a fair board member and learned that the fair has “a long-standing policy” to not allow political fundraisers or rallies. She said the fair board member said she had checked with area fair boards, and most won’t allow such events either, but Columbiana County said they would be willing.
Fair boards in Canfield and Geauga County also turned down the Trump team, Christian-bennett said. However, Badalamenti said he heard Geauga was still in the running.
Delaware County Fairgrounds is hosting Trump for a rally on April 24.
Last June, Trump hosted a rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington.