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March
6, 2006
VOL.
44, NO. 5Oakland,
CA
IRS updates politicking guidelines
WASHINGTON
-- The Internal Revenue Service has updated guidelines on political campaign
intervention by nonprofits after finding most of the charities it investigated
-- including churches -- engaged in prohibited activities during the 2004
election campaign.
“While the vast majority of charities, including churches, did not
engage in politicking, our examinations substantiated a disturbing amount
of political intervention in the 2004 electoral cycle,” said IRS
Commissioner Mark W. Everson, in releasing the guidelines and a report
of his agency’s investigation.
The guidelines include specific examples of proper and improper political
activities by churches and other nonprofits. They come at a time when
surveys identify religion as an important issue among voters and both
Republicans and Democrats see churches as potential allies.
The nine-page guidance, defined as “a living document,” aims
to reduce uncertainty about how much of a role churches, hospitals, universities
and other entities can play in a political season.
It states that the rules are “not intended to restrict free expression
on political matters” by individual organization leaders when they
are speaking for themselves. But those leaders should take care to indicate
when their comments are personal and not representative of their group.
IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson
