Pasadena church ordered to turn over documents to IRS

[USA11B]

Pasadena church ordered to turn over documents to IRS

The Associated Press
Last Updated: September 16, 2006, 05::32 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Internal Revenue Service has ordered a liberal Pasadena church to turn over all documents and e-mails it produced during the 2004 election year with references to political candidates.

The IRS is investigating whether All Saints Episcopal Church violated the federal tax code when its former rector, Rev. George F. Regas, delivered an anti-war sermon on the eve of the last presidential election.

Tax-exempt organizations are barred from intervening in political campaigns and elections.

Rev. Ed Bacon received a summons Thursday ordering the church to present any politically charged sermons, newsletters and electronic communications by Sept 29. The church could lose its tax-exempt status if found to have violated the tax code.

Bacon was ordered to testify before IRS officials Oct. 11. He said he will inform his roughly 3,500 congregants about the investigation at Sunday's services, and will seek their advice on whether to comply.

"There is a lot at stake here," Bacon said. "If the IRS prevails, it will have a chilling effect on the practice of religion in America."

An IRS spokesperson declined comment on the investigation.

In a sermon two days before the 2004 election, Regas did not urge parishioners to support President Bush or Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., but was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts, Bacon said in an interview last November when the investigation was announced.

"He explicitly said, 'I am not telling you how to vote.' That is the golden boundary we did not cross," he said.

All Saints has a long history of social activism, dating back to World War II, when its rector spoke out against the internment of Japanese Americans. Regas, who headed the church for 28 years before retiring in 1995, was well-known for opposing the Vietnam War, championing female clergy and supporting gays and lesbians in the church.
SOURCE

[USA11B]

I'm sure charges against conservative churches, speaking for conservative candidates, and speaking for conservative issues from the pulpit will follow.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by USA11B

Tax-exempt organizations are barred from intervening in political campaigns and elections.

As they should be since they're getting a free ride.

"There is a lot at stake here," Bacon said. "If the IRS prevails, it will have a chilling effect on the practice of religion in America."

It will have no effect on the practice of religion, but every effect on ministers who mix politics in with their religion.

In a sermon two days before the 2004 election, Regas did not urge parishioners to support President Bush or Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., but was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts, Bacon said in an interview last November when the investigation was announced.

"He explicitly said, 'I am not telling you how to vote.' That is the golden boundary we did not cross," he said.

Riiiiiiight. Semantics

Originally Posted by USA11B

I'm sure charges against conservative churches, speaking for conservative candidates, and speaking for conservative issues from the pulpit will follow.

They should be. The politics shouldn't matter.

[USA11B]

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

As they should be since they're getting a free ride.


"There is a lot at stake here," Bacon said. "If the IRS prevails, it will have a chilling effect on the practice of religion in America."
It will have no effect on the practice of religion, but every effect on ministers who mix politics in with their religion.



Riiiiiiight. Semantics



They should be. The politics shouldn't matter.

The truth is in the pudding? As I anxiously await the conservative churches to be ORDERED to turn over documents.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by USA11B

The truth is in the pudding? As I anxiously await the conservative churches to be ORDERED to turn over documents.

They can start with some Catholic priests and their parishes - those who are interferring in our Illegal Alien problem by offering amnesty. They need to go after all of them regardless of their political leanings.

Will they?

[USA11B]

Liberal church will decide soon whether to fight IRS summons


The sermon can be read here.
Welcome to All Saints Church





The Associated Press
Last Updated: September 17, 2006, 04:40:36 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A liberal church at the center of a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service over a 2004 sermon will decide this week whether to fight an IRS summons.

The IRS is requesting a number of documents be produced by Sept. 29 and that the church's rector, Rev. Ed Bacon, testify before an IRS agent on Oct. 11.

The congregation of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena discussed the matter during a church service Sunday.

The church could lose its tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon delivered two days before the 2004 election by its former rector, Rev. George F. Regas.

Regas did not urge parishioners to support President Bush or Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., but was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts, Bacon said in an interview last November when the investigation was announced.

Parishioners Sunday gave Bacon a standing ovation after he described reasons why the church might choose to resist the summons.

Resisting would mean the IRS would have to decide whether to ask for a hearing before a judge, who could then rule on the legality of the summons.

If a hearing were held, the church would argue that the IRS summons is "an intrusion, an attack upon this church's First Amendment rights to the exercise of freedom of religion and freedom of speech," Bacon said.

Though no vote was taken Sunday, there appeared to be strong support to resist the summons, several congregants said.

"We are leaning in that direction," said church spokesman Keith Holeman.

The church's governing body could still decide to comply with the summons in the hope that producing the documents and the testimony would resolve the dispute, said Robert Long, the church's senior warden.

"I've been through the documents and I think it fully supports our position that we have not been in violation of the IRS regulations," Long said.

All Saints has a long history of social activism dating back to World War II, when its rector spoke out against the internment of Japanese Americans. Regas, who headed the church for 28 years before retiring in 1995, was well-known for opposing the Vietnam War, championing female clergy and supporting gays and lesbians in the church.

A copy of Bacon's sermon was set to be posted on the church's Web site later Sunday.
SOURCE

[Woodmonkey]

They need to get nailed for abusing their free ride courtesy of the taxpayers. They'r