Posted on 12/06/2007 8:05:05 AM PST by Alex Murphy
Liberty Chancellor Used School Resources To Promote Presidential Candidate, Church-State Watchdog Group Says
BBSNews 2007-12-04 -- (AU) Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. violated federal tax law by using school resources to endorse Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Americans United for Separation of Church and State told the Internal Revenue Service today.
In a complaint filed with the federal tax agency, Americans United noted that Falwell hosted the candidate at Liberty University and then sent an email message on Liberty University letterhead endorsing Huckabee.
In a "Liberty News Alert" dated Dec. 1, 2007, Falwell wrote, "Recently, Governor Mike Huckabee called to brief me on the progress of his campaign for the presidency. I invited the Governor to speak to the Liberty University students in Convocation on November 28. He graciously accepted. I was so impressed with the Governor's sincerity and his positions on the issues that are important to conservative Christians that I personally endorsed Governor Huckabee before he left Lynchburg."
Falwell goes on to say, "My father strongly supported Governor Huckabee when no one thought that he had any chance to succeed in the presidential race. I believe with all my heart that, if my father had witnessed Governor Huckabee's surge in the polls and his ascension to first place in the Iowa polls, he would have endorsed Governor Huckabee without hesitation."
The alert was accompanied by an article from a university-run online publication implying that Huckabee is God's candidate.
Americans United sent a letter to IRS officials today, asking them to investigate the matter. The letter notes that on Nov. 19, the IRS issued a press statement reminding charities and churches about the ban on politicking and asks the tax agency to back that up with enforcement in this case.
"Falwell surely knows that these types of political endorsements are illegal," remarked the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "Tax-exempt religious institutions may not be used to support or oppose candidates for public office."
Falwell seems to be following in the footsteps of his late father Jerry Falwell Sr. In 1993, Falwell Sr.'s Old Time Gospel Hour had its tax exemption retroactively revoked for the years 1986 and 1987 and the ministry was required to pay $50,000 because of involvement in partisan politics.
Pastors and heads of 501(c)(3) non-profit groups are free to endorse candidates as private individuals, but the Internal Revenue Code does not allow them to use institutional resources, such as official publications, Web sites and other forms of communication, to back or oppose candidates.
"Falwell seems determined to misuse tax-exempt resources, just like his father did," said Lynn. "The IRS needs to step in and break this chain of flagrant disregard for the law."
No complaints from the Lefties for this one:
August 2, 2007
CONCORD, N.H. — The Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president on Thursday, even though they don’t share the same views on issues critical to gays and lesbians.
And no complaints from the Lefties for this one:
The complaint alleges the UCC “violated every single point outlined in the IRS guidelines,” in sponsoring the Illinois Senator’s appearance at the church’s bi-annual national gathering, which this year was held in the Hartford Civic Center in the Connecticut capital. It charges:
* “The United Church of Christ selectively provided the convention facilities for Sen. Obama to speak in support of his campaign.”
* “The United Church of Christ and Sen. Obama referenced his candidacy before and during the speech.”
* “Clear and deliberate campaign activity occurred in connection with the [sic] Sen. Obama’s attendance and speech.”
Specifically the complaint references guidelines that an individual addressing the church does so “only in a non-candidate capacity,” that the individual makes no “mention of his or her candidacy or the election,” and that “no campaign activity occurs in connection with the candidate’s attendance.” The complaint also cites a guideline that prohibits a church from mentioning an individual’s political candidacy or the upcoming election in “the communications announcing the candidate’s attendance at the event.” Both a video and a transcript of Obama’s speech are available on the UCC website and apparently will be present throughout the election.
I don't see the problem here.
Yup. Now, if it were a black church, they’d be welcomed and celebrated. White men/ automatically lawbreakers.
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