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BumRushDaShow

(143,469 posts)
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 06:39 PM Oct 31

Churches hosting Turning Point get-out-the-vote events likely violate tax law, experts say

Source: NBC News

Oct. 31, 2024, 10:44 AM EDT


A right-wing activist group’s reliance on evangelical churches for Republican get-out-the-vote efforts could land the congregations in hot water with the IRS, legal experts say. Turning Point Action, founded by conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk, has held GOP vote-chasing events with at least 22 churches in six swing states since March, according to research conducted by the progressive watchdog group Documented and verified by NBC News.

It is part of Turning Point’s push to contact people likely to support former President Donald Trump to encourage them to vote. “What they’re doing almost definitely violates the Johnson Amendment,” said Sam Brunson, a law professor at Loyola University in Chicago, referring to the 1954 law that bars churches and other nonprofit groups from directly supporting political candidates.

There’s a long history of churches — including progressive and historically Black congregations — getting involved in elections, by registering voters, canvassing neighborhoods and providing transportation to polling sites. Those efforts are legal as long as they don’t explicitly target or exclude voters based on party affiliation. Many churches cross the line every year, by either hosting candidates or making endorsements from the pulpit, while rarely drawing sanctions from the IRS.

But what Turning Point is doing — relying on congregations to do explicitly partisan campaign work — “is at a different level than anything I’ve seen before,” said Philip Hackney, a University of Pittsburgh law professor and former IRS official. He and four other nonpartisan legal experts told NBC News that such activities could jeopardize the churches’ tax-exempt status.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/turning-point-action-church-voting-pro-trump-tax-law-rcna178053

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Churches hosting Turning Point get-out-the-vote events likely violate tax law, experts say (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Oct 31 OP
Tax. The. Churches. Drum Oct 31 #1
We know they are Faux pas Oct 31 #2
to be fair, they pretty much ignore and violate the principles of jesus as well nt msongs Oct 31 #3
Most are businesses orthoclad Oct 31 #6
If a law is broken by a church kacekwl Oct 31 #4
answer here is within the article stopdiggin Oct 31 #5
Finally. Maybe the IRS will do its job. travelingthrulife Nov 1 #7

stopdiggin

(12,938 posts)
5. answer here is within the article
Thu Oct 31, 2024, 07:18 PM
Oct 31

religious organizations have been flouting the 'endorsement' law (with almost virtual impunity) for a long, long time.
It stands then - that virtually no one should be surprised when greater liberties are the next step.

Oh, and almost forgot ... This is all completely Merrick Garland's fault ... As surely no one would question.

travelingthrulife

(882 posts)
7. Finally. Maybe the IRS will do its job.
Fri Nov 1, 2024, 08:20 AM
Nov 1

They hadn't seemed to notice Trump and the gop holding rallies in megachurches.

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