This happened Thursday, & I’m sure many of us missed it as we were neck deep in everything Russia. I didn’t see another diary that addressed how the House of Representatives would effectively repeal the Johnson Amendment as part of larger spending package to fund the IRS.
From www.politico.com/...
The House voted Thursday to make it harder for the government to punish churches that get involved in politics.
In a 217-199 vote, lawmakers approved legislation barring the IRS from revoking the tax-exempt status of churches that back political candidates, unless it is specifically approved by the commissioner of the agency.
The provision, buried in a budget measure setting IRS funding for the upcoming year, amounts to a backdoor way around the so-called Johnson amendment, a half-century-old prohibition on nonprofits getting involved in political campaign activities.
This is a move the Trump Administration has been eager to make, even though some church leaders would rather stick to leading the flock than heading a “super PAC.”
More from: www.patheos.com/...