Republicans to Launder Campaign Dollars Through Churches
By Tim Canova — Candidate for Florida’s 23rd Congressional District
Just when you thought the GOP tax bill couldn’t get any worse for working families, think again!
House Ways and Means Committee Chair Kevin Brady (R-TX) just snuck a “manager’s amendment” into the House GOP Tax bill that seeks to open up the floodgates to yet another kind of unaccountable political spending that would further undermine our democratic process.
The egregious amendment seriously undermines the separation of Church and State, allowing churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other religious organizations to help candidates without fear of losing their tax exempt status — enabling more secret money to flow into elections while their donors enjoy a tax deduction and can remain anonymous.
This GOP amendment would allow religious groups to skirt the Johnson Amendment, named after its sponsor when he was Senator, the late Lyndon B. Johnson — the 1954 rule that prohibited 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations such as churches from endorsing or opposing political candidates.
Religious organizations are already able to engage in political activities, such as voter registration efforts and individual clergy endorsements. We fully support the Johnson Amendment as a vital safeguard of religious liberty that enables faith leaders to speak truthfully and prophetically about social and economic justice issues affecting their congregations without fear of reprisal from politicians or wealthy donors who are not supporting a particular candidate.
At the National Prayer Breakfast earlier this year, President Trump reportedly “pledged to totally destroy the Johnson Amendment.” He can’t repeal it, only Congress can, but it didn’t stop him from signing an executive order in May directing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ease up on the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment.
That’s why we also oppose the “Free Speech Fairness Act,” (S. 264 and H.R. 781) introduced by Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Representatives Jody Hice (R-GA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA), which would repeal the Johnson Amendment by amending the U.S. tax code to “restore free speech” for 501(C) (3) organization, including churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples.
Don’t be fooled….these representatives are not concerned about protecting your speech, but are instead intent on cashing in on the donations that parishioners give their churches and other religious organizations. Imagine the corrupting influence this could have on the clergy as well as the Congress.
According to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, 71% of Americans oppose allowing places of worship to endorse political candidates while maintaining their tax-exempt status. Another poll reported that three-quarters of Americans said that churches and other religious organizations should steer clear of endorsements altogether.
We must do all we can to protect the Johnson Amendment and keep more “dark money” out of politics. Protecting the concept of the separation of church and state our forefathers fought for, while continuing to fight for the campaign finance reform we so desperately need is something we mustn't falter on.
Please call (202) 224–3121 to speak with your members of Congress and Senate to ensure that the line between church and state remains separate while preserving the integrity of our nation’s houses of worship. Urge them to vote NO on the “Free Speech Fairness Act,” (S. 264 and H.R. 781) and Trump’s tax bill.
Working together, we must stop “dark money” from corrupting our nation’s sacred institutions through a backdoor deal — hidden in a spending bill.
