IRS faces lawsuit for failing to enforce church electioneering ban

[Somerville]

The Freedom from Religion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) group that is arguing the IRS is unlawfully favouring church groups. A federal judge has agreed

IRS faces lawsuit for failing to enforce church electioneering ban

The Internal Revenue Service was unable to suppress a lawsuit over its failure to audit thousand of churches that allegedly violated federal tax law by engaging in partisan advocacy. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman of the Western District of Wisconsin on Monday denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Freedom From Religion Foundation against the IRS.

“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.

more on the suit from the FFRF site

Response to the ruling from The Christian Post

 

[Beaudreaux]

The Freedom from Religion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) group that is arguing the IRS is unlawfully favouring church groups. A federal judge has agreed



more on the suit from the FFRF site

Response to the ruling from The Christian Post

If the government is going to enforce separation of church and state, it should do so. The IRS code for 501 (c)3 prohibits this activity and it should be enforced.

Given the most recent targeting of 501 (c)4 applicants, which ironically CAN participate in advocating a political activity, it is only reasonable for the court to require them to enforce ALL their regulations.

Either the regulations mean something, or they don't. Are enforceable, or not. And if they don't and are not, why have them at all; the IRS or the regulations?

 

[DiAnna]

It's about time abuses of religious electioneering ban are addressed. I'm cynical enough to expect the religious lobby is powerful enough to squash this feeble attempt, but it's better than continuing to ignore the blatant law breaking that has gone on for decades.

 

[SMTA]

It's about time abuses of religious electioneering ban are addressed. I'm cynical enough to expect the religious lobby is powerful enough to squash this feeble attempt, but it's better than continuing to ignore the blatant law breaking that has gone on for decades.

And I am cynical enough not to take something like this at fa e value.

 

[Somerville]

And I am cynical enough not to take something like this at fa e value.

What is "fa e value"?

 

[polgara]

And I am cynical enough not to take something like this at fa e value.

What is religious electioneering? Don't tell me I have to learn another new buzzword! :mrgreen:

Good evening, SMTA. :2wave:

 

[sangha]

What is religious electioneering? Don't tell me I have to learn another new buzzword! :mrgreen:

Good evening, SMTA. :2wave:

Good evening P

I think it refers to "churches that allegedly violated federal tax law by engaging in partisan advocacy."

 

[SMTA]

What is "fa e value"?

The word 'Face' spelled with big fingers on an iphone keyboard! :mrgreen:

No new code words here.....

 

[Somerville]

What is religious electioneering? Don't tell me I have to learn another new buzzword! :mrgreen:

Good evening, SMTA. :2wave:

Don't know why you haven't heard about this problem. It has been around for a while

Pastors pledge to defy IRS, preach politics from pulpit ahead of election

More than 1,000 pastors are planning to challenge the IRS next month by deliberately preaching politics ahead of the presidential election despite a federal ban on endorsements from the pulpit.

The defiant move, they hope, will prompt the IRS to enforce a 1954 tax code amendment that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, such as churches, from making political endorsements. Alliance Defending Freedom, which is holding the October summit, said it wants the IRS to press the matter so it can be decided in court. The group believes the law violates the First Amendment by “muzzling” preachers.

“The purpose is to make sure that the pastor -- and not the IRS -- decides what is said from the pulpit,” Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the group, told FoxNews.com. “It is a head-on constitutional challenge.”

Read more: Pastors pledge to defy IRS, preach politics from pulpit ahead of election | Fox News

Basically there is a subset of Christians which demands exemption from taxes that other groups must pay while objecting to an IRS regulation that calls for political neutrality from groups receiving religion-based exemptions.

Easy solution -- pay your taxes and speak your mind.

 

[SMTA]

What is religious electioneering? Don't tell me I have to learn another new buzzword! :mrgreen:

Good evening, SMTA. :2wave:

Hey!

Ack - see post #8!

 

[Somerville]

The word 'Face' spelled with big fingers on an iphone keyboard! :mrgreen:

No new code words here.....

I have the same problem. Therefore, I refuse to post from the phone :lol:

 

[polgara]

Hey!

Ack - see post #8!

:lamo: Just glad I don't need to learn another buzzword! :wink:

 

[polgara]

Don't know why you haven't heard about this problem. It has been around for a while



Basically there is a subset of Christians which demands exemption from taxes that other groups must pay while objecting to an IRS regulation that calls for political neutrality from groups receiving religion-based exemptions.

Easy solution -- pay your taxes and speak your mind.

:thanks: for the explanation! :I really hadn't heard it before. :thumbs:

 

[polgara]

Good evening P

I think it refers to "churches that allegedly violated federal tax law by engaging in partisan advocacy."

Good evening, Sangha! :2wave:

:thanks:

 

[tererun]

The Freedom from Religion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) group that is arguing the IRS is unlawfully favouring church groups. A federal judge has agreed



more on the suit from the FFRF site

Response to the ruling from The Christian Post

Oh my, that would appear to be a problem for the church. if we could get them out of politics and campaigning that would be awesome. I am cool with them existing, but it would be nice if they just existed and did not try to make laws using their tax free benefits. I also hope they start getting taxed. It is a business, not a charity. I do not want them destroyed, but it would be cool to get some money to help out with general operations of the country they enjoy existing in.

 

[tererun]

Don't know why you haven't heard about this problem. It has been around for a while



Basically there is a subset of Christians which demands exemption from taxes that other groups must pay while objecting to an IRS regulation that calls for political neutrality from groups receiving religion-based exemptions.

Easy solution -- pay your taxes and speak your mind.

I totally agree. if the restrictions of the statute bother you, or they impede the direction you wish to go then you are supposed to simply chose to leave the special status. No one is forcing them not to campaign, they are just saying if you are going to act as a taxable entity like a corporation or business then you should pay taxes as one.

 

[tererun]

The word 'Face' spelled with big fingers on an iphone keyboard! :mrgreen:

No new code words here.....

It is a technology based speech impediment.

 

[SMTA]

It is a technology based speech impediment.

Well played.

 

[tererun]

Well played.

I have the same impediment when it comes to most pads and phones.

 

[Deuce]

I pay taxes, I didn't realize this means my free speech has been destroyed!

 

[head of joaquin]

I hope the lawsuit is successful. It is ridiculous that I as a taxpayer have to subsidize the odious activities of rightwing churches and their Obamaphobia fetish.

 

[ItAin'tFree]

I hope the lawsuit is successful. It is ridiculous that I as a taxpayer have to subsidize the odious activities of rightwing churches and their Obamaphobia fetish.

Do you have any factual numbers from the federal budget on how much money you or other taxpayers "subsidize" these churches?

I didn't think so. Church members pay their bills, not you or other taxpayers.

 

[Somerville]

Religious institutions in America appear to be receiving somewhere in the neighbourhood of $70,000,000,000.00 worth of tax exemptions annually.

Research Report: How Secular Humanists (and Everyone Else) Subsidize Religion in the United States

While some people may be bothered by the fact that there are pastors who live in multimillion dollar homes, this is old news to most. But here is what should bother you about these expensive homes: You are helping to pay for them! You pay for them indirectly, the same way local, state, and federal governments in the United States subsidize religion—to the tune of about $71 billion every year.

 

[apdst]

This won't go far, after a lot of black churches get slammed.

 

[paddymcdougall]

The Freedom from Religion Foundation is a 501(c)(3) group that is arguing the IRS is unlawfully favouring church groups. A federal judge has agreed



more on the suit from the FFRF site

Response to the ruling from The Christian Post

FANTASTIC! If churches don't want to pay taxes, they shouldn't be electioneering. It's pretty simple. Would love it if the IRS busted some of them!