document: GOP takes aim at AARP : Will it backfire ? Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- - Republicans are taking aim at America 's oldest senior citizens group , AARP , in the wake of a GOP-authored report that they contend exposed '' `` the conflict between AARP 's drive for profits , the best interests of its members and the organization 's tax-exempt status . '' '' Democrats counter that the attacks are based on the organization 's support of President Obama 's health care reform bill . '' `` The facts suggest that AARP has strayed from its core mission , '' '' Rep. Wally Herger , R-California , chairman of the House Ways and Means ' health subcommittee , said at a hearing Friday . He was one of those who released the report , titled '' `` Behind the Veil : the AARP America Does n't Know , '' '' this week . '' `` The facts show that AARP no longer operates like a seniors advocacy organization . Instead it more closely resembles a for-profit insurance company , '' '' he said . Herger 's subcommittee is now challenging AARP 's tax-exempt nonprofit status , looking into how the AARP does business and pointing to the organization 's profits from the sale of insurance and other products . The organization made nearly a third of its $ 1.4 billion budget through insurance sales in 2009 , American Public Radio 's Gregory Warner told the panel Friday . Rep. Charles Boustany , R-Louisiana , also argued Friday that the AARP has strayed from its original mission of protecting seniors . '' `` Contributions to the AARP Foundation between 2002 and 2009 grew by only 11 % , or about $ 3.1 million . And funding of the legal counsel for the elderly actually decreased by about 9 % , '' '' Boustany said . '' `` The parts of AARP that fulfill its original purpose seem not to be sharing in the bounty that has come to AARP from its insurance-related business activities . '' '' Democrats counter by pointing out that Republicans welcomed AARP 's 2003 support of the GOP push for Medicare reform , saying there were no such questions or hearings back then . Some members called the hearing '' `` political payback '' '' for AARP 's support of Obama 's health care reform efforts . '' `` We should see this for what it is , '' '' said Rep. Pete Stark , D-California , '' `` a waste of government time , and a vindictive attempt to settle a political score . '' '' The hearing '' `` amounts to nothing more than a political witch hunt to punish an organization that spoke out in favor of health reform , '' '' he said , adding that the Republicans aim is '' `` to discredit AARP in the minds of seniors . '' '' '' `` Before they announce a budget that will devastate Medicare , Social Security , Medicaid , they would like to silence AARP , '' '' Stark said . Barry Rand , AARP 'S CEO , told committee members that the organization has been nothing but transparent , in contrast to the '' `` Behind the Veil '' '' report 's implication that the organization had an ulterior motive for supporting health care reform . The report concluded that the AARP stands '' `` to make upwards of $ 1 billion over the next 10 years as a result of the new health care law through the sale of their endorsed-Medicare insurance products , '' '' according to a news release from Herger this week announcing the release of the report . '' `` We post on our website our annual reports , financial statements , IRS Form 990 tax returns and detailed breakdowns of our revenues and expenditures , '' '' Rand said . '' `` This is why we are surprised and disappointed both by the title and substance of the report . '' '' He said there is no veil and the organization disagrees with all of the conclusions reached in the '' `` one-sided report . '' '' '' `` First , we reject the allegation that our public policy positions are influenced by our revenues . Our policy positions are set by our all-volunteer board of directors based on the needs of our 50-plus population , '' '' he added . And Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. , D-New Jersey , noted that '' `` the sixth-largest social welfare organization '' '' with the type of nonprofit classification AARP has '' `` is a tax-exempt race track and casino which operates in Iowa . '' '' '' `` I 'm sure you 'll help me understand why a race track and a casino are more deserving of this classification , because that 's what you 're getting at , '' '' he said . Former GOP Rep. Billy Tauzin , once the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee , admits that attacking the AARP is risky . '' `` A perceived attack on AARP could easily backfire , giving Democrats an opportunity they could quickly use to paint themselves as the party best positioned to protect seniors in the future , '' '' he wrote in a Politico opinion piece .
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