Subject: IRS & Christian Coalition

Via: Charles Sumner <sumner@rochgte.fidonet.org>

From ..... Americans United for Separation of Church and State

1816 Jefferson Place, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036

E-mail: americansunited@au.org

August 2, 1996

AMERICANS UNITED COMMENDS FEC ACTION AGAINST CHRISTIAN COALITION ................. TV PREACHER PAT ROBERTSON'S POLITICAL SINS ARE FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH HIM, SAYS AMERICANS UNITED

The Federal Election Commission's action against the Christian Coalition for illegal partisan politicking is clearly appropriate, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Said Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn,

"The political sins of Pat Robertson and Ralph Reed are finally catching up with them."

The FEC today filed suit in federal district court seeking fines against the Christian Coalition for illegal campaign activities and asking that the group be prohibited from partisan activities in the future unless it reorganizes as a political action committee. The FEC said the Coalition's voter's guides and other activities have been carefully designed to support particular candidates for public office.

Said Lynn, "The Christian Coalition from day one has been a hard-ball political operation cloaked in religiosity. The FEC action today rips aside that cloak."

Americans United has repeatedly charged since 1990 that the Coalition is violating federal election and tax laws by working for the election of particular candidates.

Lynn said the action is likely to have wider implications.

"Any church in America which distributes the Christian Coalition's tainted voters' guides risks losing its tax exemption," Lynn said.

In addition, he noted that Internal Revenue Service may also now act to remove the tax-exempt status of the Coalition itself. The Coalition has been operating under a provisional 501-c-4 tax status, but the IRS has not made that status permanent.

"Today's FEC action may derail Pat Robertson's king-making operation," said Lynn.

Origin: Rights On! for Privacy! It's a Right not a privilege! (1:374/14)

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