Written by Don Byrd
I missed this in last week’s news, but a federal judge in Wisconsin has ruled a lawsuit brought by the Freedom From Religion Foundation against the IRS can proceed against arguments by the government that it should be dismissed. The suit claims the IRS has failed to enforce its prohibition against electioneering by tax-exempt churches.
Religion News Service has more:
The lawsuit puts FFRF in a similar camp with conservative groups challenging the IRS. However, FFRF wants to strengthen the ban on politicking while others want the ban lifted.
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Observers found the judge’s decision significant because similar attempts in the past have failed. For instance, groups have tried to sue over the Catholic Church’s involvement in anti-abortion activism. “It is a tactic that’s been used before, but without success,” said Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame. “I can’t see it going anywhere.”
Of course, there is a difference between challenging activism by tax-exempt entities and challenging electoral campaigning, which is the focus of the FFRF suit. Whether it goes anywhere or not, I’ll be sure to let you know. You can read Judge Adelman’s decision here.
