Religious Group Violates Federal Law

There is a group in Oklahoma called "Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ". The group claims to be a religious organization and has the tax-free status that goes along with that. The problem is that the organization seems to have forgotten the rules that go along with that religious tax-free status, or they just don't care about those rules.

Federal law says the religious tax-free groups must refrain from taking part in partisan political campaigns. If they don't, they could lose their tax-free status. But this group sent out an e-mail encouraging people to attend a political rally last June to support the re-election of Republican State Rep. Sally Kern. The e-mail claimed she must be re-elected because her opponent had been put up by the "homosexual lobby".

Now this group needs to make a choice. They can support Rep. Kern (pictured) or they can keep their tax-free status, but they cannot do both. Americans United for Separation of Church and State has sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service asking them to investigate the organization to determine if they have violated federal tax laws.

I think there's little doubt that the group has violated the law. Their tax-free status should be revoked -- so they can support any candidate they wish. Too many of these right-wing fundamentalist organizations have been violating this law and it must be stopped. The IRS should make an example of this group by severely penalizing it.