Using the IRS to Squelch Free Speech

Watchdog group reports church to IRS for political rally

A religious liberty watchdog group accused the Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin 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 from intervening in political campaigns.

A member of Legacy PAC, which supports anti-abortion candidates, said the church had nothing to do with the event. Bill Crocker said the PAC rented the church.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press, All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2004TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

I don't particularly care what the motives are of the AUSCS when they did this. I support keeping the state completely separate from religion in regards to the state forcing people to engage in or disengage from religious activity. But I don't support laws and people who use laws that attempt to prohibit speech or free association.

From the AUSCS press release:

In a formal complaint to the Internal Revenue Service today, Americans United asserted that the Westover Hills Church of Christ engaged in illegal partisan politicking by allowing Legacy PAC to hold a Feb. 5 "Call to Victory" event at the church. The meeting featured state Republican Party officials and GOP candidates, and during the event, the PAC collected money for Republican campaigns.

Federal tax law prohibits 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates for public office.

I see a few things that can be done to fix the problem:

1. Change the law so it doesn't discriminate between tax-exempt and non-exempt organizations.
   
2. Eliminate tax exemptions entirely and tax all organizations and individuals equally.
   
3. Repeal the Federal Election Commission and the body of law surrounding it.
   
4. Abolish taxation, the IRS, and the body of law surrounding the two.

They are, of course, listed in the order of their likelihood of passing.

The partisan character of the event at the Austin church was confirmed by William O. Pate, a local university student who attended "Call to Victory" and drafted a written summary of the meeting. The student's report of the event and documents about it from Legacy PAC's website were submitted to the IRS by Americans United.

Two officials with the Texas Republican Party spoke at the event - party Chair Tina J. Benkiser and Treasurer Susan Howard Chrane. During their remarks, Benkiser and Chrane promoted Republican candidates, including President George W. Bush. Republican candidates also distributed literature and sought votes at the event, which opened with a prayer led by a church elder.

During the meeting, an official with the Legacy PAC announced that he intended to collect $5,000 for Republican candidates in the church that night. Church collection plates were then passed through the pews.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, "I am shocked that politicians and clergy would convert a church sanctuary into a smoke-filled back room. Houses of worship are supposed to focus on winning souls, not winning elections."

It's a good thing we have the Reverend Lynn here to remind us what churches are for. Perhaps he has something to say regarding nondenominational or nonreligious church outreach to disadvantaged or needy communities and people. Those activities have little to do with "winning souls."

The irony of this incident should be obvious to anyone with adequate intellectual capabilities. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, according to their website was founded to educate "Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom." And yet what they've done by reporting this fundraiser to the IRS is to help restrict religious freedom; the freedom of religious organizations and churchgoers to actively use their property and minds to support political candidates that agree with them on the issues they feel are important.

This AU page makes their motives clear to anyone still not on the same wavelength as I:

Houses of worship and religious leaders may address political and social issues, but federal tax law bars most non-profit groups from endorsing or opposing candidates for public office. Churches, temples and mosques must refrain from outright electioneering. It is not the job of religious leaders to tell people which candidates to vote for or not vote for.

This kind of mentality is at the root of the problem. They say they know what is proper for religious leaders to do. If the government stepped in and passed a law based on some assumption of what the right thing for religious leaders to do, the AUSCS would (hopefully) be outraged. But this is precisely what they advocate: the tyranny of others over peaceful and voluntary action.

Posted by Drizzten at March 13, 2004 01:43 PM