Washington -IRS says that the pastor who supports political candidates from the Pulpit should not risk losing their tax-free positions.
The step effectively asks for a carving-out for religious organizations, rarely called Johnson Amendment from the IRS rule, was placed in 1954 and named after the then-Sen. Lindon Johnson.
In a joint court, with the intention of abolishing the ongoing case against IRS, the tax collection agency and the National Religious Broadcasive Association – an Honorable Media Consortium – and the other plaintiff asked a federal court in Texas to stop the government from implementing Johnson amendment against the plaintiff.
Johnson Amendment to the US Tax Code has banned tax-free organizations including churches by supporting or opposing political candidates.
The Christian Media Group and others filed a suit against the IRS last August, stating that the amendment has violated its first amendment rights for freedom of speech and free practice of religion amidst other legal safety. On Monday, the IRS and the plaintiff have written that the Johnson amendment should be explained “so that it does not reach communication from the house of its congregation to its congregation in relation to religious services through normal channels of communication on matters of faith.”
New York Times was to report for the first time News of court filing.
The Times mentioned that experts of the non -profit law said that there could be a big growth of politics in IRS stand churches, even though the filing put in writing, which was already a lot of unspecified IRS policy.
The IRS has not usually implemented Johnson Amendment against Pooja’s houses for speech related to electoral politics.
President Trump has said that he wanted to get rid of Johnson amendment and signed an executive order to direct the Treasury in 2017 to disregard the rules.
Trump said in a national prayer breakfast in 2017, “I will get rid of Johnson Amendment and completely destroy and allow our representatives to speak freely without speaking and vengeance.”
Representatives of the IRS and the National Religious Broadcasters Association did not respond to an associated press request for comments.
Earlier this year, Republican MPs introduced the law to scrap Johnson amendment.
