The pastor of a Chino Hills supported a candidate for the American Senate, renewing concerns about the election from a religious watchdog group Pulpit.
Freedom is pressurizing the IRS from the Relations Foundation to cancel the tax-free position of the Calvari Chapel Chino Hills after the pastor Jack Hibs during Sunday’s service, encouraging Mandali to vote for Steve Gave for California’s open US Senate seat.
According to the Foundation, the rules against such behavior are clearly defined.
In 1954, the Congress approved the Johnson amendment to the US Tax Code-whose name was the then-Sen. Lindon b. Johnson, who wrote the law – to limit non -profit organizations by participating in some political activities. Boundaries meant that religious leaders could no longer promote or speak against candidates in any type of official capacity, although they could still participate in public policy debate.
This means that when religious leaders can engage in political movements, they are prevented from doing so in ministers or church grounds as private citizens, Eric Ellen, a UC River Rivaraside Assistant Professor of Business, a UC Rivaraside Assistant Professor in Business.
“You know, the minister is allowed to go to the rally and it is to say who it is, but (not) if it is getting (not) at the site (in the church),” Alan said.
On Tuesday, February 27, A video right wing came out on Twitter Hibs, stating the Chino Hills congregation, “You will vote for Steve Garve.” The Hibbs then told the congregation that the statement was illegal because he was behind the Pulpit, and stepped in front of the stage to complete his publicity of Garve, he said, as a “private citizen”.
The IRS website creates a group of rules that are going to follow non-profit and religious organizations to keep their tax-free status.
Church cannot promote campaign for any candidate or against it under IRS rules. Candidates can come to churches and talk to the congregation, but they are not allowed to campaign in any way, such as publishing an opinion in an official church publication or using pulp during services to tell people how to vote.
“So basically, what is saying that they are not campaigning, whether, directly or indirectly, trying to influence a particular candidate or the law,” Alan said.
However, churches can participate in public policy debate, without advocating activity without advocating. For example, churches can conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise according to IRS, consider public policy issues in educational way without endangering their tax-free situation. Church leaders can encourage people to vote until they tell them how to vote.
The churches cross the line when they try to influence the law by trying to contact or insist from the public to urge the members of the Legislative Body to contact, support or oppose the law. The IRS says that churches can also be considered in violation of the Code by adopting or advocating the adoption or rejection.
According to The Freedom from Religion Foundation, Hibs violated the rules. Non -profit is worried that such behavior will continue in future elections.
A 2020 study by Duke University found that in the last two decades, churches had carried forward political participation with education and support for voters. In some cases, churches have crossed the line, especially during the election years, where religious leaders were found to support the candidates on both sides of the corridor.
“IRS needs to do something to measure this situation,” said a staff Attorney for FFRF. “Because you are looking at it as much as possible.”
This is not the first time Hibs and his church has been on the radar of the Foundation, Line said.
“We are very familiar with Jack Hibs,” he said. “We have written about the things they have done before … previous electoral efforts.”
In 2019, FFRF won a five -year legal battle with Chino Valley Unified School District on prayer at the school board meetings.
The Foundation filed a case on the district in 2014, representing two parents and 20 anonymous district employees, residents and children. The judge of the US district court biased with the Foundation in 2016, found that the prayer in the board meetings violated the first amendment. A three -member panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal agreed in July 2018. And in December 2019, the 9th circuit refused to reconsider the decision.
Hibs told the school board in March 2016 that the legal funds of the district would be covered by the community. According to the Internet Corporation for Assigned names and numbers, non -profit organizations that coordinate the Internet domain names, the Church registered the Latsprafoundation.Arg in June 2016. Late Hum Prayer Foundation founded a Gofundme Crowdfonding Campaign, which raised $ 143,745 before the campaign organizers pulled from the website.
Jack Hibs and Kalwari Chappell did not respond to the remarks requests.