A Sept. 14 political rally meant to criticize the recall effort aimed at booting California Democratic Gov. Gray Davis from office is the target of a liberal watchdog group's federal complaint because the rally was held at a Los Angeles church.
The event took place at the First African Methodist Church and featured Davis and former President Bill Clinton.
In its Sept. 16 letter to the Internal Revenue Service requesting an investigation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) called the incident a clear violation of the church's tax-exempt status.
According to Fox News, Clinton took to the pulpit before a predominantly black congregation of nearly 1,000 people, mixing biblical quotes with his calls for voters to reject the Davis recall.
"The governor, he didn't make every single problem we had go away, right away. And so, he might have made a mistake or two, so let's just throw a stone at him. That'll make us feel much better. Just pick up a rock and throw it at him. That'll make us feel so much better," Fox quoted Clinton as saying. "Let he among you without sin cast the first stone."
[When you put Bill Clintoon together with the Holy Bible, there's always going to be trouble!--Jen]
Davis, who also appeared at the pulpit, said the recall "threatens the very fabric of democracy." He was soon joined by Rev. Cecil Murray, who referred to Davis as "our vital warrior" and said "we are his posse," according to the Washington Post. Murray did not return calls to CNSNews.com for this story.
However, a spokesman for Americans United did address the situation.
"This is an issue that we have been interested in for a long time," Rob Boston, AU assistant director of communications, told CNSNews.com. "We believe that partisan politicking has no place in America's houses of worship, and we don't care if the churches are endorsing Democrats, Republicans or third party candidates, they're not supposed to be doing that. The IRS law is pretty clear."
IRS regulations for Section 501(c)(3) organizations, which include charitable groups, schools, boys or girls clubs and churches, forbid political activity.
"If any of the activities (whether or not substantial) of your organization consist of participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or opposition to) any candidate for public office, your organization will not qualify for tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3)," the IRS regulation stipulates.
[...]
Boston acknowledged that press coverage often paints AU as targeting exclusively conservative or Republican-leaning candidates or causes, but he recalled that in 2000, AU called for an IRS investigation of Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Queens, N.Y., after Rev. Floyd Flake invited then-presidential candidate Al Gore to address his congregation on Feb. 13. Flake then endorsed the candidate during Sunday morning worship services.
Boston said Flake eventually signed an agreement with the IRS promising to no longer use his pulpit for political purposes.
[...]
"The fact that the IRS has talked to some pastors about it, the fact that they did pull one church's tax-exempt status is a sign that they take it seriously," Boston said, adding that there are ways pastors and religious organizations can get involved in politics without violating tax regulations. "But having a candidate appear in the pulpit and running what is essentially a rally on his or her behalf is not one of them."
I would love for America and her instutions to embrace as much of the Judeo-Christian faith that guides us as often as possible, but this Clintoon/Davis church rally was the limit!
In light of the War we're fighting also, part of which is to promulgate secular democracy in these Islamist theocratically-dominated countries, it is key that our republic not devolve into Afghanistan under the Taliban, either.
We're a model for the world--always have been, but no more so than now.
And Bill Crinton is a shameless user of these black worshippers, as well!
I saw this being carried on both Fox and CNN on Sunday morning and it was a blatant flaunting of the IRS's dictum not to conduct campaign activity for a political candidate in a tax-exempt organization.
Not to mention that it was free (and consequently free PR via TV) to Bubba and Gray Out!
So this is excellent news!
(I am Caucasian, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but it seems that the "old days," particularly as experienced in the Deep South, when black people only had their church and its pastor to tell them what was best for them politically are fading into the past.
Back then, people of color didn't have TV, many weren't literate and their white "masters" did anything but encourage them to get key info and get out and vote.
Let's hope that in 2003 our open and information-filled society is becoming color-blind and accessible to all Americans.
Leave it to the Dimocrats, however, to continue to treat them like they're still "on the plantation."
Black Americans need to stop settling for this patronizing behavior, so maybe this IRS attention will be a good wake-up call.)
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