Tampa church directed staffers to make political contributions

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

A Tampa megachurch under scrutiny by Senate investigators directed church staffers to make political contributions to a Republican gubernatorial candidate, according to documents obtained by NBC News.

A month-long NBC News investigation also found information indicating that the church's pastor, Randy White, seems to have lied about a business transaction in a deposition made under oath, and misrepresented his religious academic credentials.

Without Walls International, a megachurch founded by televangelists Randy and Paula White, is one of six tax-exempt religious ministries the Senate Finance Committee is examining, amid allegations some of the ministers misused church funds to enrich themselves. Last month, NBC News reported the results of its investigation into some of these allegations.

NBC News obtained an e-mail (some identifying pieces of information in the e-mail have been removed by NBC) in which a Without Walls church staff member reporting to the Whites appears to direct other staffers to make political contributions to a Republican candidate for governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, who won the gubernatorial race later that year.

In the e-mail in 2006, the staffer writes, "Per our recent conversations…This is just a reminder that I need each of your checks for $500 made payable to: Charlie Crist for Governor. I need to send these our tonight."


Read more: http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/02/853424.aspx

[LeftyMom]

1. Well, I hope they enjoy paying taxes.

Can we please do something bout this sort of nonsense when we get a Dem in the White House?

[jgraz]

3. We know what we need to do

Take away the tax-exempt status from all churches and let them say whatever the fuck they want.

[jjr5]

8. Some churches

Do good things for their communities and some act like non-profits. I don't think we should strip tax-exempt status from organizations that help their communities.

[Tesha]

14. And for the non-profit work they do, they can establish a separate 501(c)3.

But most of the activities of most churches are just aimed
at maintaining the clubhouse for the club members. For those,
they can organize a 501(c)4 non-profit.

Tesha

[Tesha]

13. Precisely.

[jjr5]

18. I guess I am just standing up for churches in general -

They are kind of like teachers. Some are deplorable and teach you the wrong thing. However, there are some that teach you good things and can really affect your life for the better. Peace.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. First, you have to see many, many more articles like that one

reported in newspapers across the country, and then you have to have public outrage, and then maybe the next president of the White House will do something about it.

Especially in Florida, people don't know this is illegal. No one prosecutes it -- usually.

[Critters2]

5. Technically, it's not illegal. It's a violation of IRS regs, not the law.

So, this church could legally continue to do this, just without 501c3 status. The Christian Coalition lost its 501c3 status several years ago, and just accepted that and started paying the necessary taxes while carrying on its political work.

But, yes, churches that do this should not be tax-exempt.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. That's it, isn't it?

It's not "illegal," so it must be legal. It's a linguistics game. So they do it, and it's impossible to stop them, unless there is someone actively prosecuting to get the diction right, it just continues.

[tbyg52]

2. Sic AU or ffrf (or both) on 'em

Never mind - I will. Handy-dandy links in signature line..... ;)

[L0oniX]

6. Call in the IRS. Remove tax exempt status. n/t

[Joe Bacon]

7. Render under Caesar, Reverend!

It's time to take these crooked churches off of welfare once and for all!

[PinkyisBlue]

9. A house of worship is corrupt? And a televangelist is misusing funds?

Say it isn't so! They sound so sincere on the teevee.

[Binka]

10. Ah Pinky These Grifters Are Full O' Shit

Getting filthy rich on fear and ignorance. Shut 'Em down!

[kath]

11. Pastors lying under oath? - geez, that ol' commandment about not bearing false witness sure is a

toughie for these Jeezoid fundie assholes, ain't it??

[mitchum]

12. Tax all of these pulpit-dwelling grifters

[tanyev]

16. Whoomp! There it is.

[Vidar]

17. Goodbye to tax-free status, assholes.