Is Media Matters 'War on Fox' illegal?

As we've reported here at The Blaze, the George Soros-funded Media Matters group is planning a big shift in its strategy to attack the Fox News channel. But is its venture even legal?

According to the group's 2009 tax return, the stated purpose of Media Matters is to "notify activists, journalists, pundits and the general public about instances of misinformation, providing them with the resources to rebut false claims and take direct action against offending media institutions."

But in 2010 planning memo, MM founder admits that “criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press... Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it is treated as such by the media, elected officials and the public.”

Many bloggers have been quick to point out how MM's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status should prohibit the group from such blatantly political aims.

If Media Matters insists on shifting to the role of "political animal," as Brock noted in the memo, they should relinquish their 501(c)(3) status, writes Brandon Kiser at The Right Sphere blog.

The cutesy-sounding mission of Media Matters to “correct conservative misinformation” is no longer even remotely appropriate. No, MMFA is a political group with $10 million-plus in annual funding designed to wage war against Fox News, and in their eyes the GOP and conservatives as a whole.

Because of this, Media Matters should reconsider their 501(c)(3) status which is designated for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. MMFA no longer meets any of these qualifiers (it’s arguable they never did) and under the banner of waging a war against Fox News and the GOP puts them in an entirely different zip code.