U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops faces IRS complaint over partisan advocacy

[jaxx]

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops faces IRS complaint over partisan advocacy
By Eric W. Dolan
Sunday, November 4, 2012 11:20 EST

The Washington, D.C.-based Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has asked the IRS to investigate the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, alleging that numerous bishops had violated federal tax law by engaging in partisan advocacy.

“As a 501©(3) organization, the Conference is barred from any and all political activity, including endorsing candidates for public office. Yet based on the numerous statements and letters made by the bishops as well as the timing of the statements coming so soon before the election, there is ample evidence that the Catholic Bishops are engaged in a concerted and organized effort to make a last ditch effort to persuade members of the Catholic church to vote against President Barack Obama,” CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan told the IRS on Friday.

<..> The Internal Revenue Code prohibits 501©(3) organizations, including churches and charities, from intervening or participating in political campaigns. Citing court rulings, CREW noted that a church or non-profit organization could endanger its tax-exempt status by using “publications and broadcasts to attack some candidates and support others,” even it if hadn’t officially endorsed a candidate.

However, a spokesperson for the IRS recently said the agency had halted audits of churches engaging in political activity in the last three years. A federal court ordered the IRS to clarify who could authorize the audit of churches in 2009, but the agency has not yet adopted new regulations.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/04/u-...-advocacy/

Well alrighty! Call the religious corporations on their illegally butting into the election process. And if the IRS has forgotten how to audit churches they had better get their books out and get to reading. The people have had it with tax dodging entities.

[Hekate]

Gooood. I hope that goes someplace.