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Obama's Church Flouts Tax Law

Posted Mar 10, 08 2:35 PM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – Barack Obama's home church in Chicago may be risking its tax-exempt status by promoting the candidate in sermons. Churches are allowed to support specific causes, but not candidates, and some experts say the praise—and attacks on Hillary Clinton— violate IRS laws. "There does seem to be a pattern of attempting to tip the scales," a law professor tells the Wall Street Journal.

The church is one of a growing number of congregations, right and left, risking tax problems as they dive deeper into political advocacy. "Barack knows what it means to be a black man living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people," the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., the senior pastor of Trinity Church, said from the pulpit on Christmas. "Hillary can never know that."

Source Wall Street Journal

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Pastor Ralph Canty, delivers his sermon during the worship service at Savannah Grove Baptist Church in Effingham, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008. In an example of how campaigns are reaching out to the religious...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., center, links arms with Rev. Raphael Warnock, left, and associate pastor Shanan Jones as they sing "We Shall Overcome" during a church service...   (Associated Press)
A member of the Harvest Cathedral Chapel worships during church services before Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. spoke there in Macon, Ga., Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)   (Associated Press)
A member of the Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ applauds remarks by Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as a young boy sleeps behind her in Las Vegas, Sunday, Jan. 13,...   (Associated Press)
Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., closes his eyes a the pastors leads a prayer for him at First Emanuel Baptist Church in New Orleans Sunday, Aug. 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Barack Obama Speaks at Dr. King's Church   (BarackObamadotcom (YouTube))
Do pastors inadvertantly sway political opnions from pulpit?   (vocabulous (YouTube))

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Barack Obama  • election 2008  • religion  • Jeremiah Wright


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