January 23, 2008
Key Senate Aide on Nonprofit Issues Resigns
By Elizabeth Schwinn
Dean A. Zerbe, a key Congressional figure in the passage of a 2006 law that tightened many rules governing charities and created new tax incentives to encourage charitable gifts, says he will leave Congress at the end of February.
Mr. Zerbe, the senior counsel to Sen. Charles E. Grassley, an Iowa Republican, will take a position with a Houston tax-consulting company, the Alliant Group.
He was a lead player behind the scenes during Senator Grassley’s time as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and continued in that role after Republicans lost control of Congress in 2006.
In addition to helping to pass the Pension Protection Act in 2006 — which instituted new curbs on nonprofit activities, as well as new giving opportunities — Mr. Zerbe also helped Mr. Grassley undertake numerous investigations of charity abuses.
More recently, Mr. Zerbe has fought back attempts to weaken nonprofit provisions in the Pension Protection Act.
A former Congressional staff member who is familiar with Senator Grassley’s plans says that the senator has not decided yet on a replacement for Mr. Zerbe.
“There are a limited number of people in the tax community that could replace Dean,” said the former staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “He’s got a very close relationship with Grassley that’s been built over the years. Grassley trusts Dean and his judgment of what they should investigate. On the other hand, Dean understands Iowa and knows what Grassley wants.”
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