Illegal Church Policking Round Up

October 7, 2010
IRS Should Investigate N.Y. Church That Endorsed Gubernatorial Candidate, Says Americans United
Watchdog Group Calls On Tax Agency To Take Action Against Brooklyn Church That Endorsed Cuomo

A Brooklyn church that endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew M. Cuomo should be investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Americans United today sent a letter to the IRS about recent activities at Brown Memorial Baptist Church. The New York Times reported that Cuomo spoke at the church during services on Oct. 3 and that he “delivered a pitch for support in his bid for governor, citing his record as attorney general and assailing his opponent ‘for trying to divide us.’”

Furthermore, the paper reported, “The church’s pastor, the Rev. Clinton M. Miller, quickly encouraged congregants to vote for Mr. Cuomo.”

...In its letter to the IRS, Americans United says these actions violate federal law, which prohibits tax-exempt groups from intervening in politics by endorsing or opposing candidates.

Read more at: http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/10/irs-should-investigate-ny.html
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September 30, 2010
Iowa Church’s Election Campaign Against State Supreme Court Justices Merits IRS Investigation Church’s Plan To Oust Judges Violates Federal Ban On Electioneering, Says AU's Lynn

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today urged the Internal Revenue Service to investigate an Iowa church that is organizing a church-based campaign to unseat three justices from the Iowa Supreme Court.

Cornerstone World Outreach, a Sioux City congregation, is sponsoring Project Jeremiah, a church-based campaign to encourage voting against the judges in a retention election on the Nov. 2 ballot. Religious Right activists are seeking the defeat of the judges because they ruled in favor of extending civil-marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, said the church’s campaign is a clear violation of federal tax law.

“I don’t think I have ever seen a more outrageous effort to politicize churches,” said Lynn. “This deplorable scheme seeks to turn houses of worship into dens of inequity and intolerance. I call on the IRS to move swiftly to put a stop to this outrage.

Read the full press release at http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/09/iowa-churchs-election.html
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September 28, 2010
IRS Should Investigate Oklahoma Church That Endorsed Gubernatorial Candidate, Says Americans United The Internal Revenue Service should investigate an Edmond, Okla., church whose pastor endorsed a gubernatorial candidate from the pulpit, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Pastor Paul Blair of Fairview Baptist Church endorsed Republican hopeful Mary Fallin from the pulpit during services Sept. 26.

Federal law prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profit groups, which includes houses of worship, from intervening in elections by endorsing or opposing candidates for public office.

“When churches become cogs in any candidate’s political machine, they ought to lose their tax exemption,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “I urge the IRS to investigate this matter and apply the law.”

Read the full press release at http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/09/irs-should-investigate.html
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September 22, 2010
Americans United Advises Churches To Reject Religious Right's Pulpit Politicking Scheme Watchdog Group’s Letter Campaign Counters Alliance Defense Fund’s Misguided ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’

Read the full press release at http://www.au.org/includes/au-advises-churches-to-reject.html