Church stationary and the IRS may not mix, especially when it comes to politics. Read below from The Associated Press:
Southern Baptist pastor Wiley Drake said Wednesday that he is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for his endorsement of GOP presidential hopeful
Mike Huckabee in a press release written on church stationery.
Under federal tax law, church officials may legally discuss politics, but they cannot endorse candidates or parties without putting their tax-exempt status at risk. Most who do so receive only a warning.
Drake, a prominent pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention,said he received a 14-page letter from the IRS on Feb. 7.IRS spokesman Rafael Tulino said Wednesday that he could not comment.
On Aug. 11, Drake wrote a press release on letterhead from the First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park that announced his personal endorsement of Huckabee, who also is an ordained Baptist minister.
"After very serious prayer and consideration, I announce today that I am going to personally endorse Mike Huckabee," the release
said. "I ask all of my Southern Baptist brothers and sister to consider getting behind Mike and helping him all you can."
He added: "I believe God has chosen Mike for such an hour, and I believe of all those running Mike Huckabee will listen to God."
Political candidates (both Republican and Democrat) speaking from the pulpit has always been a dicey proposition and Pastors supporting candidates is also a murky area. But stationary? Does the IRS have a case? Read more from the IRS here and you be the judge