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May 28, 2008
Americans United Urges IRS To Investigate Religious Group's Fund-Raising
For Wa****ngton State Gubernatorial Candidate
Church-State Watchdog Files Complaint About Political Event Sponsored By
Christian
Businessmen's Group
The Internal Revenue Service should investigate a Wa****ngton state
religious group that
engaged in fund-raising for a gubernatorial candidate, says Americans
United
for Separation of Church and State.
The Tacoma, Wash., branch of the Christian Businessmen's Connection hosted
Republican
candidate Dino Rossi on May 21 in Fircrest. During the event, Dwight
Mason,
the group's
president, noted that fund-raising envelopes for Rossi had been left on
the
tables.
The Tacoma News Tribune re****ted that Mason prayed for Rossi and then
said,
"OK, at your
table, this is not a fundraiser, though Dino did leave with us a couple
envelopes there,
and I'm sure he'd appreciate that."
A spokesperson for Rossi, Jill Strait, later confirmed that the envelopes,
used to
collect donations, were left on tables. Strait said, "We have envelopes
that we bring
with us wherever we go."
Federal tax law bars tax-exempt organizations from intervening in
political
campaigns.
Although Mason originally denied that fund-raising had occurred, he
stopped
talking to
the media once a tape of the event surfaced.
Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director,
"Non-profit religious
organizations are supposed to meet people's spiritual needs, not ****ll for
candidates."
Added Lynn, "I urge the IRS to act quickly to show that this type of
activity will not
be tolerated."
The IRS has repeatedly stated that it is stepping up enforcement of the
laws barring
partisan politicking by non-profit groups. In April, Exempt Organizations
Director
Lois G. Lerner noted that enforcement procedures have been placed in the
hands of career
IRS employees who are experts in the tax law in this area.
"As in the past, we will continue to use existing procedures, including a
committee
of career civil servants, to determine which cases to pursue," Lerner said
in a press
release. "We will focus on cases involving allegations of egregious
violations."
http://www.au.org/site/R?i=1LR3hzsaD0hrCfiGR18ZwQ..
************************************************************
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in
Wa****ngton,
D.C.
Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the im****tance
of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
************************************************************
Americans United Press Contacts:
Joe Conn, Rob Boston
www.au.org/press
************************************************************
The First Freedom First Campaign is a joint project of
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
and The Interfaith Alliance Foundation
If you haven't signed the petition yet, visit www.firstfreedomfirst.org.
http://www.au.org/site/R?i=9bNDfMLkEFoM8T2Pxbt4Tg..
************************************************************
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
518 C Street NE,
Wa****ngton, DC 20002
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