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Loading ...Is Maine’s Diocese violating tax laws?
05.22.2009 10:45am EDT
(Augusta, Maine) A gay rights advocacy group claims that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine is violating tax rules by helping a referendum campaign that would repeal the state’s new same-sex marriage law.
The Empowering Spirits Foundation said its challenge was filed at an Internal Revenue Service office in Dallas. The San Diego-based group said the diocese is engaging in political activity by collecting signatures for the referendum, violating IRS rules applying to nonprofits.The ballot question would overturn Maine’s gay marriage law. Gay marriage foes need the signatures of at least 55,087 registered voters to get the question on the ballot. The petitioners have until three months after the Legislature adjourns, which is expected to happen in mid-June, to collect the signatures.
IRS policy allows the diocese to participate in the campaign and help collect signatures, said Marc Mutty, public affairs director for the diocese. He rejected the IRS challenge as a “bogus attempt to sidetrack the campaign.”
Leonard Cole, a Portland attorney who specializes in tax and nonprofit issues, suggested that the church’s involvement could put it at odds with IRS rules that restrict lobbying by tax-exempt nonprofits.
“It’s hard for me to imagine how you seek someone’s signature on a petition without it arguably at least being an attempt to influence their vote once the measure was on the ballot,” Cole said.
Meanwhile, about a dozen gay-marriage supporters gathered in a park across the street from Maine’s Capitol to thank the Legislature for enacting the bill and Gov. John Baldacci for signing it earlier this month. The gathering also marked the start of the supporters’ campaign to defeat the referendum.
One of the participants, Carla Hopkins of Mount Vernon, said she was not discouraged that a same-sex marriage bill in New Hampshire has been set back by a House vote. Efforts are under way to negotiate a compromise acceptable to Gov. John Lynch.
“We’re riding high on what’s happening here in Maine,” said Hopkins, adding that she hopes to see similar laws passed throughout New England.
Four other states, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont, allow gay marriage.
©365Gay.com 2009
Archibald Pyflier – You are actually incorrect. Most churches get away with it, but any non-profit can not engage in lobbying activities as well. They can only engage in educational activities (representing both sides). But in this case the church itself is getting the signatures and using their own people on the payroll on tv to promote it. Here is the IRS link discussing it. http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=163392,00.html
I love the Empowering Spirits Foundation. They do such great things in the communities they are involved in. Keep up the good work!
This from the IRS Web site.
“The IRS has published Revenue Ruling 2007-41, which outlines how churches, and all 501(c)(3) organizations, can stay within the law regarding the ban on political activity. Also, the ban by Congress is on political campaign activity REGARDING A CANDIDATE [emphasis added]; churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations can engage in a limited amount of lobbying (including ballot measures) and advocate for or against issues that are in the political arena. The IRS also has provided guidance regarding the difference between advocating for a candidate and advocating for legislation.”
Thus, in general, churches and other exempt organizations CAN campaign for legislation, but not for particular candidates.
I wonder is all those (mostly) Baptist churches which invited Obama and, more frequently, Billary to make campaign speeches during supposed church services are getting their hands slapped by the IRS?
It’s also interesting to note that churches, unlike other organizations, don’t have to apply for tax-exempt status because such status is presumed under the current law.
There is one area where the Catholic Church is different. Unlike Mormons or Baptists or any other faith, the Church has diplomatic standing. The Roman Catholic Church is hierarchical, so they take orders from Vatican City. Vatican City is a foreign country, just like Peru or Zambia. This is not a US-based church in Maine, it is a church which is also a state with diplomatic standing. That needs to stop, because it’s foreign interference in US domestic affairs.
petition.com lets get one going…
PLAIN AND SIMPLE:IF THE CHURCH GETS INVOLVED IN POLITICS;THAN THEY LOOSE THEIR SPECIAL TAX EXEMPT STATUS!
It’s PAST time that Congress and the IRS takes on organized religious groups (Catholics and Mormons..looking at YOU!) that act as PACs.
To comment on what Jessi says, I hope that no one would ever attempt to illegally disrupt the collection of signatures for this referendum. As vehemently opposed to it as we may be, this is how the political system in Maine works and it is the political system all citizens of Maine are entitled to exploit to the fullest extent of the law, as gay and lesbian citizens did in getting the bill passed through campaigns and lobbying.
Counter the referendum through legal means. Spread awareness and campaign, campaign, campaign!
It is about time someone has taken this type of action. I think that everytime a church, particularly the catholic church, attempt enter into the political area like this new appeals should be made to the IRS. There is a such thing as seperation of church and state and if they continue to try to shape teh course of event them they should be taxed as a polictical organization
If only the Catholic church had spent as much time on preventing child abuse by its priests as they spend now on hate campaigns.
Unfortunately for the good guys, the Diocese is correct on this one. The only restrictions Churches and non-profits have is participation in PARTISAN politics. Churches can take stands on issues and encourage their members to vote based on their favor of or their opposition to particular issues — and they can raise and spend funds to support issues. (For example, Proposition 8.) What they CANNOT do is endorse a particular party or individual candidate. (For example, even though many bishops would have liked Catholics to vote for McCain, the supposed pro-life and anti-gay marriage candidate in the last election, they could NOT endorse him directly, nor tell anyone not to vote for Obama. All they could say is to vote your conscience . . . after pointing out their moral stance on the issues involved.
Anyone know how to contact the Hordes? We need to have Rome sacked again. Only this time, FINISH THE JOB!
if you see anyone collecting signatures for the referendum,
grab their list and run like h@ll
I think it’s time for a class action law suit against the Vatican.
I was molested at a young age by a priest.
All people molested as children and young adults, should come together and file a class action lawsuit against the Vatican. They harbored and abetted the perpetrators, and gave they protected those who abused and allowed it to continue.
It’s time to bring them down, starting at the top.
F@@K the “pope” and the Panzer he rode in on!