Civics: IRS Denies Tax-Exempt Status To Organization That Encourages Christians To ‘Pray, Vote, Engage’ Because ‘[B]ible Teachings Are Typically Affiliated With The [Republican] Party’

Carly Mayberry:

Christian legal organization First Liberty Institute is appealing the recent denial by the IRS to grant tax exemption status to a Texas Christian group that the federal agency alleges supports the Republican Party.

In May the IRS denied 501(c)(3) status to the Texas-based prayer group Christians Engaged because it encourages its members to vote for state and national leaders. The federal agency specifically noted in its rejection that the group supports Republican candidates.

In its letter, IRS Director of Exempt Organizations Stephen A. Martin concluded the group does not qualify as an organization described in IRS Section 501(c)(3) because it is not operated exclusively for religious and educational purposes. Specifically Martin noted, “You are engaged in prohibited political campaign invention” and “You are also not operated exclusively for one or more exempt purposes…because you operate for a substantial non-exempt private purpose and for the private interest of the ‘D party.'” The “D party” is a reference to the Republican Party, according to a “legend” provided at the top of Martin’s letter to the religious group.