Donations diverted to politicians

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-nonprofit10.html

When a Roman Catholic parishioner asked Cardinal Francis George about political contributions, George sternly denied money was being routed from collection baskets to candidates.

"The Catholic Church gives no money to political candidates," he wrote to the parishioner in 2000. "I don't know who gave you the idea that any parish or any agency has contributed to any particular political campaign. . . . We don't do it."

But a new analysis by the Better Government Association shows that a handful of Catholic churches -- along with dozens in other denominations -- are among a slew of Illinois not-for-profits that have given to politicians despite federal law banning such contributions.

All told, 220 tax-exempt churches, charities, universities and foundations have given $186,475 to state and local candidates and political organizations during the last five years. Baptist churches -- many of them on Chicago's West Side -- were the biggest group of givers, contributing about $52,000.

more

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. So...will they lose their tax exemption?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. We are deep in an era...

of American politics that will push aside Tammany Hall as the exemplar of political corruption.

[UpInArms]

3. if they want to give money for political campaigns,

I guess they want to pay their share in taxes.

They can fund the death machine of war with their "culture of life :grr:

[Malva Zebrina]

4. I would love to see a list of all the charities, churches , foundations

and universities that George Bush, by executive order, obliged with tax payer money--some 3 billion dollars worth.

[Demit]

5. This is the kind of marriage that threatens our society: Church & State

Hold on folks, we're zooming back to the Middle Ages! Right here in the good old USA.