Washington state Catholic bishop warned over anti-gay marriage campaign

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Washington state Catholic bishop warned over anti-gay marriage campaign

By Jonathan Kaminsky
OLYMPIA, Washington | Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:12pm EDT

(Reuters) - Washington state regulators have warned a Roman Catholic bishop that his diocese risks running afoul of state campaign finance laws if he follows through with a planned fund-raising effort opposing same-sex marriage on the November ballot.

State law prohibits organizations, including churches, from raising money from individuals to give to political campaigns, said Lori Anderson, a spokeswoman for the state's Public Disclosure Commission.

"It's not because it's a church. It's because it's not a stand-alone individual," Anderson said on Thursday.

The commission was calling into question a recent letter from Bishop Joseph Tyson to Yakima-area pastors urging them to distribute donation envelopes to parishioners during the weekend of September 8-9.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/31/us-usa-gaymarriage-washington-idUSBRE87U03K20120831

[Swede Atlanta]

1. It may be only a twinkle but good for them...

I lived in Seattle for a number of years but my job has taken me deep in the heart of Dixie. I miss the progressive environment in the Pacific Northwest.

Churches should be held not only to state laws such as these but also the IRS should be much more vigorous in ensuring churches and other religious organizations do not engage in political activities or strip them of their tax-exempt status.