{"id":2456749,"date":"2025-07-08T08:57:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T12:57:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/irs-lifts-ban-on-churches-endorsing-political-candidates\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T08:58:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T12:58:32","slug":"irs-lifts-ban-on-churches-endorsing-political-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/irs-lifts-ban-on-churches-endorsing-political-candidates\/","title":{"rendered":"IRS lifts ban on churches endorsing political candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Firs-lifts-ban-on-churches-endorsing-political-candidates%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2456749&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The IRS has officially lifted a decades-old ban on churches endorsing political candidates, allowing tax-exempt religious organizations to engage in political endorsements without fear of losing their tax status. This decision arose from a court settlement involving two Texas churches and a Christian broadcasters&#8217; association, which challenged the enforcement of the ban known as the Johnson Amendment. Historically,this amendment,enacted in 1954,prohibited churches and other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/parker-give-america-a-new-birth-of-freedom-in-virginia\/\" title=\"PARKER: Give America A New Birth Of Freedom In Virginia\">tax-exempt entities<\/a> from endorsing candidates to preserve their status. The IRS stated that such endorsements will now be treated as private communications rather than as campaigning, which could perhaps alter campaign finance dynamics. However, organizations like the National Council of nonprofits have raised concerns that this could open the door for political entities to be disguised as nonprofit groups, leading to manipulation in financing political campaigns.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">IRS lifts ban on churches endorsing political candidates<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2160199\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/irs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">IRS<\/a> said Monday that religious places of worship could endorse political candidates, undoing a decades-old ban on campaigning by tax-exempt groups.<\/p>\n<p>The agency lifted the ban in a court<a href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.txed.232590\/gov.uscourts.txed.232590.35.0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> filing<\/a> to settle a lawsuit from two churches in Texas and an association of Christian broadcasters. The IRS and the plaintiffs asked a federal judge to order the Trump administration and future presidential administrations not to enforce the ban on political endorsements against the groups that sued, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/07\/us\/politics\/irs-churches-politics-endorse-candidates.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><em>New York Times<\/em><\/a>, which reported the filing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3460254\/supreme-court-elections-case-campaign-finance-nrsc-gop-fundraising\/\">How a Supreme Court case on campaign finance could change elections<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3464704\/gavin-newsom-tours-south-carolina-red-counties\/\">Newsom tours Trump-friendly rural South Carolina counties amid 2028 buzz<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3464750\/salena-zito-trump-representing-presidency-assassination-attempt\/\">Trump &#8216;representing the presidency&#8217; in his &#8216;fight, fight, fight&#8217; call: Salena Zito<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In court filings, the agency said it would not view political endorsements as campaigning but more so a private affair.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Thus, communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted,&rdquo; the agency said in a motion filed jointly with the plaintiffs.<\/p>\n<p>The case hinged on the Johnson Amendment, which restricts political activity from religious institutions that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senator-announces-probe-of-pga-tour-liv-golf-merger\/\" title=\"Senator to Investigate PGA Tour-LIV Golf Merger\">enjoy tax-exempt status<\/a>. It was&nbsp;introduced in 1954 and is a part of the U.S. tax code that prevents tax-exempt organizations, including churches, universities, and nonprofit groups, from endorsing or opposing political candidates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If this amendment were violated, these institutions would have been at risk of losing their tax-exempt status. Enforcement of the amendment had been rare.<\/p>\n<p>President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have been trying to overturn the amendment for years. Trump, in 2017, said he would &ldquo;totally destroy&rdquo; the Johnson Amendment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/3261510\/us-catch-china-race-critical-minerals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>HOW THE US CAN CATCH CHINA IN CRITICAL MINERALS RACE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The National Council of Nonprofits, which represents 30,000 groups, warned against the order, saying it could pave the way for political groups to disguise themselves as nonprofit groups.<\/p>\n<p>Diane Yentel, the group&rsquo;s president, said in a statement Monday that the move was &ldquo;not about religion or free speech, but about <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >radically altering campaign finance laws<\/a>. The decree could open the floodgates for political operatives to funnel money to their preferred candidates while receiving generous tax breaks at the expense of taxpayers who may not share those views.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2160199\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2160199\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IRS allows churches to endorse political candidates, lifting a long-standing ban<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2456750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AP24303808137399-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[11263,21510,8362,32983,52386],"class_list":["post-2456749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-churches","tag-endorsements","tag-irs","tag-political-candidates","tag-tax-exemption"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AP24303808137399-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2456749"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2456753,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456749\/revisions\/2456753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2456750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2456749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2456749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2456749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}