IRS Probes Huckabee Endorsement

[Matt]

Pastor: IRS Probes Huckabee Endorsement

By GILLIAN FLACCUS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 13, 2008; 3:09 PM

BUENA PARK, Calif. -- 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."

Two days later, Wiley repeated his endorsement on his church-based Internet show, "The Wiley Drake Show."

A complaint was filed with the IRS by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

[Trueblue]

Not much of an investigation will be needed, sounds like. :lol

[Cookie Parker]

I'm glad to see this is happening...it's going to weed out the "for_profit", "Give me all your tax dollars" corporate religions and leave the real Christians still intact.

[Ringo]

I'm glad to see this is happening...it's going to weed out the "for_profit", "Give me all your tax dollars" corporate religions and leave the real Christians still intact.

The Real Ones?? Like Barry Lynn, a Cosmetic Theolgian and PUPPET for the ACLU? I do believe although I doubt YOU come into contact with Christians much Cookie, that these are grassroots, bluecollar, next door neighbor Christian-Americans backing Huckabee!!!

[Matt]

I know there are a lot of good people backing Huckabee just as there are all of the candidates.

The problem that I have had with the last two general elections is that ministers are preaching politics from the pulpit ~
Not okay!

There are definite rules that pertain to non-profit organizations and their involvement in politics from that platform.

There has been a lot of fudging on those rules in recent years.
That has many of us afraid of losing something bigger than the right to free speech.

It is the right to worship or not as we see fit.


The ACLU is there to protect your rights and mine regardless of religion or the lack thereof.

[Wabash]

I know there are a lot of good people backing Huckabee just as there are all of the candidates.

The problem that I have had with the last two general elections is that ministers are preaching politics from the pulpit ~
Not okay!

There are definite rules that pertain to non-profit organizations and their involvement in politics from that platform.

There has been a lot of fudging on those rules in recent years.
That has many of us afraid of losing something bigger than the right to free speech.

It is the right to worship or not as we see fit.


The ACLU is there to protect your rights and mine regardless of religion or the lack thereof.

The ACLU is anti Christian! That is their chief goal to bring down Christianity! I don't care what anyone here or abroad says about them.
My Pastor is a liberal Democrat and in his sermons, he is either asking for money, or preaching liberal crap. I stopped attending and go elsewhere...

[Matt]

That is exactly what I think should happen when preachers start preaching politics from the pulpit.
It would be a good thing if Republicans had done this in the last two campaigns.

It could be that you just follow the cases where the ACLU has defended religious freedom ~ the right to be religious or not be is not anti-Christian.
They defend the Constitution.
Just as with all cases in court, they win some, they lose some.

Apparently you feel the same way I do about using the pulpit for politics. :)

[Partyless]

Oh good grief

"I believe God has chosen Mike for such an hour, and I believe of all those running Mike Huckabee will listen to God."


Pastor Drake needs to get a clue. God doesn't choose candidates, reality television winners or lotto numbers. People who think - or worse actually voice - things like this are beyond hypocritical and moronic. I mean does God ever want someone to be a lowlife scumsucking philandering sonofabitch because there sure are a boat load of them in politics, on television shows and winning lotteries.

I think God has more to do than pick our next president.

[toxic]

The ACLU is anti Christian! That is their chief goal to bring down Christianity! ...

I don't understand.

What is the ACLU putting in the place of Christianity?

Did you see Huckabee when he said that we need to ammend the US Constitution to comply with God's Laws?

And when he said, All we need was the 10 Commanments?

[Cookie Parker]

The Real Ones?? Like Barry Lynn, a Cosmetic Theolgian and PUPPET for the ACLU? I do believe although I doubt YOU come into contact with Christians much Cookie, that these are grassroots, bluecollar, next door neighbor Christian-Americans backing Huckabee!!!

No, hon..those who believe in helping the poor, being humble and keeping church and state separate..as in render unto Caesar's what is Caesar's and unto God what is God...

course the above definition leaves out All who voted Republican from 1980 on...

[Cookie Parker]

The ACLU is anti Christian! That is their chief goal to bring down Christianity! I don't care what anyone here or abroad says about them.
My Pastor is a liberal Democrat and in his sermons, he is either asking for money, or preaching liberal crap. I stopped attending and go elsewhere...

WABASH...quickly remove that head from your...you know what...

http://www.aclu.org/religion/govtfunding/26526res20060824.html



Now go wash your godless mouth out with soap...:semmy

[Cookie Parker]

Oh good grief



Pastor Drake needs to get a clue. God doesn't choose candidates, reality television winners or lotto numbers. People who think - or worse actually voice - things like this are beyond hypocritical and moronic. I mean does God ever want someone to be a lowlife scumsucking philandering sonofabitch because there sure are a boat load of them in politics, on television shows and winning lotteries.

I think God has more to do than pick our next president.

I think the technical term for people who presume to know what a nonpresent deity is saying is ... BONKERS!! LOONEY TUNE...LOCK EM UP AND THROW AWAY THE KEY, MAN...MEDICATE!!!:LL

[Trueblue]

God is present, though. I hate to see religious faith treated as a kind of mental illness that requires medication. To imply this means that people don't understand religion OR mental illness.