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In 2011On December 31, 2010, he served as Block stepped down from AFP to become the Chief of Staff for Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's campaign manager or "Chief Operating Officer", as his official title with the campaign states.<ref>Adele M. Stan [http://www.alternet.org/teaparty/152826/not_an_employee_herman_cain_had_mailing_and_email_addresses_at_koch's_americans_for_prosperity_hq Not an Employee? Herman Cain Had Mailing and Email Addresses at Koch's Americans For Prosperity HQ], ''Alternet'', October 21, 2011</ref> On November 7, 2011, the [[Center for Media and Democracy]] filed a request asking that the Internal Revenue Service investigate [[Prosperity 101]], a tax exempt group founded and led by Block, for possibly violating the IRS prohibition against charities participating in political campaigns. <ref> [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/11/11111/cmd-requests-irs-investigate-charity-accused-fronting-private-jets-presidential-c CMD Requests IRS Investigate Charity Accused of Fronting Private Jets for Presidential Campaign] (press release), PRwatch.org, Nov. 7, 2011. </ref> The Center also asked the IRS to look into other groups associated with Block for potential tax code violations.
SW: add CMD complaint
'''Mark Block''' was the State Director of the Wisconsin chapter of the [[Americans for ProsperityKoch]], a free market advocacy group opposing proposals by U.S. President -funded [[Barack ObamaAmericans for Prosperity]] to reform heath care system and institute a cap and trade system to address global warming(AFP).<ref>[http://www.americansforprosperity.org/about/staff "Staff"] Americans for Prosperity website, accessed September 2009.</ref> He has also founded or otherwise been involved in a variety of other groups, most of which include the word "Prosperity." <ref> Brendan Fischer and Sara Jerving, [http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/11/11114/cmds-quick-guide-mark-block-blocktopus CMD's Quick Guide to "The Blocktopus"], the Center for Media and Democracy's PRwatch.org, Nov. 8, 2011.</ref>
==Scandals==
Block, while working for Americans for Prosperity, was involved in a vote-caging scheme in neighborhoods with large black and college student populations. Americans for Prosperity sent out mail with a "do not forward" order on it that could not be sent on to a new mailing address. If it bounced back, a letter would be used to block its recipient from voting so that they could only cast a provisional ballot.<ref> [http://www.alternet.org/rss/1/685582/6_things_to_know_about_%22smoking_man%22_in_herman_cain%27s_weird_new_ad_%28dude_was_banned_from_electoral_politics%29?akid=7775.252420.jt3G1O&rd=1&t=21, 6 things to know about Herman Cain] Adele Stan, '''Alternet'''. Accessed October 26, 2011. </ref> Block played down the sincerity of the effort after admitting that it was he and Americans for Prosperity who had undertaken it. <ref> [http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/103398539.html, Liberal group alleges tape reveals plan to challenge voters]. ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'', September 20, 2010. </ref>
On October 30 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel broke a story revealing potential wrongdoing by [[Prosperity USA]], a charity founded by Block. Financial documents showed that Prosperity USA paid more than $40,000 for campaign-related expenditures for Cain, including jets, travel, and computers. The [[Center for Media and Democracy]] has filed a request with the Internal Revenue service to investigate Prosperity USA. <ref>Dan Bice, [http://www.prwatchjsonline.orgcom/newswatchdog/2011noquarter/11/11114/cmdsstate-firms-cash-to-herman-cain-may-breach-quickfederal-guidecampaign-marktax-blocklaws-blocktopus CMD132898423.html State firm's Quick Guide cash to the Mark Block "Blocktopus"Herman Cain may breach federal campaign, tax laws], PRWatchMilwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Brendan Fischer and Sara JervingOct. 30, November 82011 (accessed Nov. 11, 2011 ). </ref>
==Activities with Americans for Prosperity==
