From Raw Story:
The Internal Revenue Service was unable to suppress a lawsuit over
its failure to audit thousand of churches that allegedly violated
federal tax law by engaging in partisan advocacy.
U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman of the Western District of Wisconsin
on Monday denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Freedom
From Religion Foundation against the IRS.
“If it is true that the IRS has a policy of not enforcing the
prohibition on campaigning against religious organizations, then the IRS
is conferring a benefit on religious organizations (the ability to
participate in political campaigns) that it denies to all other
501(c)(3) organizations, including the Foundation,” Adelman wrote.
The Internal Revenue Code prohibits tax-exempt 501(c)(3)
organizations, including churches, from intervening or participating in
political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate.
But many churches have openly defied the ban without consequences. In
an annual event called “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” pastors from more than
1,000 churches have challenged the regulation by preaching about
political topics. Some pastors even record their overtly partisan
sermons and send them to the IRS.
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