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Posted on 04/08/2004 8:31:54 PM PDT by YCTHouston
A religious liberty watchdog group accused the Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin on Friday of violating Internal Revenue Service rules by allowing the Legacy Political Action Committee to hold a fund-raiser in its sanctuary.
Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the IRS Code prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from intervening in political campaigns. The group focuses on education on the separation of church and state.
A member of Legacy PAC, which supports anti-abortion candidates, said the church had nothing to do with the event.
"This was our event," Bill Crocker said. "The church didn't sponsor it in any way, shape or fashion." Crocker said the PAC rented the church.
He said some members of the church participated in the meeting, which he described as a "pro-life" rally. But he said no one participated in their official capacities with the church.
Boston said the Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, filed the complaint with the IRS after receiving an e-mail describing the events.
William Pate, a student at St. Edward's University, attended the rally for a government class. He said the participants talked about raising $5,000 to elect Republicans and passed collection plates for donations.
"They were doing it in a church, it just seemed kind of weird to me," Pate said in an interview. "I thought I had read somewhere that was illegal."
Pate said there were no Democrats speaking. Crocker said the group is predominantly Republican but has some Democrats.
Chuck Wilson, an elder at the church, said various groups use the church.
"It was our understanding this was an open, nonpartisan gathering giving all candidates in attendance an opportunity to speak," Wilson said after speaking with church leaders. "It is not the intent of the church, nor did the church join in support or support the function. We only opened our doors to provide seating capacity. The building facility was used, but the church was not involved."
"To the best of our knowledge no collection was taken in the pews," said Wilson, who was not at the meeting.
Bruce Friedland, an IRS spokesman, said the agency is prohibited on commenting.
Ted Royer, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Texas, called the complaint an intimidation tactic.
"The goal of Americans United is to purge people of faith from politics and government and that's clearly what they're trying to do is intimidate religious people and dissuade them from participating in politics."
The Rev. Barry Lynn, the Americans United executive director, said he was shocked at the use of the church.
but if a conservative group even rents an empty church they get complaints...
Do you think that PACs like that one and the politicians they support don't have huge overhead, consulting, fundraising, and "campaign professional" fees that come out of every single donation they get? Even if the cause is good, a huge chunk of that money being donated is really going into somebody's pocket doing "consulting" work for huge fees and at substantial profits. If a group wants to do that, fine. But to take that kind of stuff into a church is offensive by any honest measure. You might as well allow insurance adjusters to set up shop in the pews, stick ads for a personal injury lawyer on the front of the pulpit, and turn the churchyard into a used car lot.
Crocker screwed up when he rented the church. Why leave yourself open to the slightest bit of criticism. Hold the meeting somewhere else!
Here's the difference: Liberals will invite the Reverend Je$$e Jack$on or his equivalent to speak during one of their church services. The church service is then turned into a democratic party rally and get-out-the-vote party.
In this case, an outside group rented the church facility at a time completely separate from its religious services, and the meeting did not feature church representatives in any official capacity from the church.
Barry Lynn should choose his battles more wisely.
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