On March 4, 2007, Democrat Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) addressed the congregation of the Brown Chapel AME Church from the pulpit and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) addressed the congregation of the First Baptist Church, Selma, from the pulpit. During the course of their speeches, each provided reasons why the Democrat Party in general and they in particular as Presidential candidates are the right political party and person to represent African-American voters. Were these speeches by Democrat Presidential candidates partisan politics and, therefore, a violation of their respective 501(c)(3) non-profit organization tax exempt status?
During political campaign “seasons,” Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (AU) aggressively pursues the identification and reporting of violations of partisan political support by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. The AU’s particular targets of opportunity are conservative, evangelical churches and religious organizations that promote “partisan support” for conservative candidates. It is not unusual for the AU to accuse non-profit religious organizations that provide issue-oriented voter guides to churches of violating the tax law forbidding partisan electioneering.
Will the AU demand investigations alleging violations of partisan politics by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in the case of the Brown Chapel AME Church and First Baptist Church, Selma? I don’t know. Let’s find out. Write a letter to AU and ask them. If you want to use it as a guide (or just copy and paste), the text of my letter follows:
“Were the church services and political rallies in which Sen. Obama (Brown Chapel AME Church) and Sen. Clinton (First Baptist Church, Selma) participated on March 4, 2007, violations of the tax law concerning 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations engaging in partisan political campaigning? Should the churches hosting these Presidential candidates be investigated for possible violation of this tax code? Why or why not? Thank you for your assistance.”
Address your inquiries to:
Americans United for Separation of Church & State
518 C Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
During political campaign “seasons,” Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (AU) aggressively pursues the identification and reporting of violations of partisan political support by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. The AU’s particular targets of opportunity are conservative, evangelical churches and religious organizations that promote “partisan support” for conservative candidates. It is not unusual for the AU to accuse non-profit religious organizations that provide issue-oriented voter guides to churches of violating the tax law forbidding partisan electioneering.
Will the AU demand investigations alleging violations of partisan politics by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in the case of the Brown Chapel AME Church and First Baptist Church, Selma? I don’t know. Let’s find out. Write a letter to AU and ask them. If you want to use it as a guide (or just copy and paste), the text of my letter follows:
“Were the church services and political rallies in which Sen. Obama (Brown Chapel AME Church) and Sen. Clinton (First Baptist Church, Selma) participated on March 4, 2007, violations of the tax law concerning 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations engaging in partisan political campaigning? Should the churches hosting these Presidential candidates be investigated for possible violation of this tax code? Why or why not? Thank you for your assistance.”
Address your inquiries to:
Americans United for Separation of Church & State
518 C Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
(photos: (left) Sen. Clinton speaks at First Baptist Church, Selma; (right) Sen. Obama speaks at Brown Chapel AME Church, 3/4/2007)
2 comments:
I forgot to mention that their "southern drawls" were hideous.
No response from AU as of 3/30/2007.
Post a Comment