"IRS faces lawsuit for failing to enforce church electioneering ban"

[applegrove]

IRS faces lawsuit for failing to enforce church electioneering ban

By Eric W. Dolan at the Raw Story

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/20/irs-faces-lawsuit-for-failing-to-enforce-church-electioneering-ban/

"SNIP.............................


“If it is true that the IRS has a policy of not enforcing the prohibition on campaigning against religious organizations, then the IRS is conferring a benefit on religious organizations (the ability to participate in political campaigns) that it denies to all other 501(c)(3) organizations, including the Foundation,” Adelman wrote.

The Internal Revenue Code prohibits tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches, from intervening or participating in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate.

But many churches have openly defied the ban without consequences. In an annual event called “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” pastors from more than 1,000 churches have challenged the regulation by preaching about political topics. Some pastors even record their overtly partisan sermons and send them to the IRS.

The FFRF, which is also a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, said allowing churches to engage in politicking but not other nonprofits was unfair. The group alleged the IRS had a “policy of non-enforcement of the electioneering restrictions” when it came to churches and religious organizations.


.............................SNIP"

[hrmjustin]

1. My clergy get political sometimes but they do not endorse candidates. There is a line they

can not cross. You can preach about political issues to a point.

[gopiscrap]

2. I used to run a peace and justice project

out of a UMC congregation in Tacoma. We were neurotic about staying on the correct side of the IRS rules

[gopiscrap]

3. You know it's ok to endorse moral issues or campaign against them

but not candidates

[SunSeeker]

4. Good! And with Chris Van Hollens lawsuit to enforce the "exclusively social welfare" requirement...

they won't be able to use 501c4 either. I hope both succeed.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Good.

[defacto7]

6. Major K&R

[JimDandy]

7. Like the idea. Hope they have standing to sue. n/t

[davidpdx]

8. I don't agree with the practice

But not going after them may have been the smartest move. The churches and their right wing congregations were looking for a reason to file lawsuits. It is completely possible there could have been hundreds of lawsuits against the government right before the election. Why fire up the right? In the end their support for Romney wasn't enough. Yes it was a gamble, but a good one.

Hopefully the lawsuit now will change the law preemptively before the next election not in the middle of it.