The agency filed a supporting brief with Christian broadcasters requesting a Johnson Amendment override.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) submitted a court filing last week with the National Religious Broadcasters Association, requesting that a federal court stop the government from enforcing the Johnson Amendment against the Evangelical media consortium.
The Johnson Amendment was added to the U.S. tax code in 1954 and prevents tax-exempt corporations, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates. According to the Johnson Amendment, the penalty for violating this clause is a revocation of the organization’s tax-exempt status.
Though the IRS rarely enforces the Johnson Amendment against churches, the IRS and plaintiffs argued in their court filing that the Johnson Amendment should be interpreted “so that [its jurisdiction] does not reach communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith.”
This decision is in keeping with President Donald Trump’s past pledge to eliminate the Johnson Amendment. President Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2017, “I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution.” He also signed an executive order that year directing his Treasury to disregard the amendment.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Commissioner Billy Long to be led by the Lord as he heads the Internal Revenue Service.
- For President Trump as he seeks to uphold the freedom of religious leaders to express political views or support candidates.
Sources: AP News, CBS News, UPI News
