MegaChurch Pastor Campaigns for GOP Candidate in Church 
Pastor Mac Hammond: Amen. Now be seated again for a moment please. I have somebody special I want to introduce you to tonight. State Senator Michele Bachmann is with us and I'm going to ask her to come in in just a moment, and of course many of you know Michele, know of her pursuit of the United States Senate seat vacated by Mark Kennedy or Congressional seat vacated by Mark Kennedy's run for a United States Senate seat. Keeping all this straight gets to be challenging. But ya know we can't publicly endorse as a church and would not for any candidate but I can tell you personally that I'm going to vote for Michele Bachmann, because I've come to know her, what she stands for, and I want her to share her testimony with you tonight. Would you give her a warm welcome as she comes to share? Thank you Michele.
Bachmann then proceeds to talk about her campaign for Congress.
Hammond's statement that a church cannot endorse is not the point. Birkey points to an IRS brochure on the point that states:
For their organizations to remain tax exempt under IRC section 501(c)(3), religious leaders cannot make partisan comments in official organization publications or at official church functions.
What is particularly remarkable about Bachman's participation in this episode is that she is a tax attorney and should know better.
The IRS has engaged in an active education campain about the rules governing politics and tax-exempt organizaitons, including churches, this year. The basic concept regarding tax-exempt groups, according to the IRS is this:
"...all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office."
What exactly does the agency mean by "intervention?" Here is the IRS clarification of the point.
What is Political Campaign Intervention?I would guess that someone will complain to with the IRS about the church's obvious electioneering, and that an appropriate investgation will take place.Political campaign intervention includes any and all activities that favor or oppose one or more candidates for public office. The prohibition extends beyond candidate endorsements. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made by or on behalf of an organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition on political campaign intervention. Distributing statements prepared by others that favor or oppose any candidate for public office will also violate the prohibition. Allowing a candidate to use an organization's assets or facilities will also violate the prohibition if other candidates are not given an equivalent opportunity. Although section 501(c)(3) organizations may engage in some activities to promote voter registration, encourage voter participation, and provide voter education, they will violate the prohibition on political campaign intervention if they engage in an activity that favors or opposes any candidate for public office.
Bachmann's Democratic opponent, by the way, is Patty Wetterling
KEYWORDS: Mac Hammond, Michelle Bachmann, Patty Wetterling
Sign up for a Complimentary Member Account... Join the community! It's fast. And it'll allow you to take advantage of all this site's great features!
| < The Least Sexy Part of Energize America | Richard DeVos Puts His Money Where His Mouth Isn't > |
