Another preacher has crossed the line and broken the law in his zeal to support a Republican candidate. This time it's Steve Riggle, pastor of Grace Community Church near Houston. The candidate is Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (pictured above), who is running for the District 22 U.S. House seat.
Riggle wrote a letter for the Sekula-Gibbs campaign, in which he said she represented his values and she "is the only candidate who will co-sponsor legislation to give people of faith their voices back." The problem is that legislation has not been passed, and he included his position and his church on the letterhead of the stationary he used.
By doing that, he was no longer stating his own opinion, but instead was stating the opinion of the minister of the Grace Community Church. That is a clear violation of campaign law. The law says tax-exempt religious organizations cannot endorse a political candidate.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a watchdog religious group, filed a complaint Thursday asking the IRS to investigate the allegation. Riggle's illegal action could cost the church a fine or the loss their tax-exempt status.
I doubt the IRS will do anything with Bush in the White House, but they should. This is happening far too often and needs to be stopped.
He has certainly broken the law. As an aside, Lord help us if that woman wins. Come on Lampson
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