CREW TO IRS: ENFORCE LAWS AGAINST TAX EXEMPT RELIGIOUS GROUPS ENGAGING IN PARTISAN POLITICS

[Donnachaidh]

http://citizensforethics.org/crew-to-irs-enforce-laws

Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to investigate whether voter guide/legislative scorecards distributed by the Pray in the Jesus Name Project violate federal tax code. The project, affiliated with Persuade the World Ministries, has put out voter guides for all 50 states, rating politicians as "Anti-Jesus" or "faith friendly." Surprisingly, politicians involved in sex scandals, such as Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and David Vitter (R-LA) are rated as 100% "faith friendly."

"Federal law prohibits preachers from politicking from the pulpit, but that is exactly what Pray in Jesus Name Project is asking clergy across the country to do," said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan. "Pray in the Name of Jesus is attempting to use churches to advance its overt political agenda; any churches that go along with this plan and distribute the guides will risk their own tax status in the process."

According to the Pray in Jesus Name website, the "Shock and Awe Free Voter Guide" is designed to "equip and mobilize" church voters. The site features a picture of Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and states: "How much would you pay to see the ‘shock and awe' look on the faces of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi this fall?" The project aims to have these voter guides faxed to 120,000 churches for distribution during Sunday services.

Tax law prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from distributing blatantly partisan voter guides prior to an election. While voter guides may be distributed to educate voters, they can't be used to attempt to favor or oppose candidates. In considering the legality of voter guides, the IRS has said a key factor is whether the descriptions of the candidates' positions are neutral, unbiased and represent a complete compilation. In this case, Pray in Jesus Name describes candidates as "pro-abortion," "pro-homosexual," and "anti-free speech" - hardly neutral, unbiased descriptions.

More at the link ---

[BarbaRosa]

1. Good luck with that..

[spanone]

2. railing against too much government while not paying taxes

irs....do your fucking job

[Frustratedlady]

4. Taxes cut into the collections on Sunday,

If our candidates are going to point out separation of church and state, then follow through. The churches know that no one is going to go after them. Grassley supposedly had an investigation, but that got quieted down in a hurry. He was probably doing it to shut up those who complained.

Either have the rule and enforce or remove it.

[Mudoria]

3. "Render unto Caesar...."

[kestrel91316]

5. Never gonna happen. I am pretty much convinced the IRS only

investigates liberals, people with a D after their names.