ADF joins panel discussion on vague tax laws muzzling nonprofits, churches
ADF, Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, Center for American Progress, and Public Citizen to discuss clearer tax rules
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015
WHO: ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley
WHAT: Available for media interviews following panel discussion on tax rules governing nonprofits and churches
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 29, following the panel discussion, which begins at 9 a.m. EST
WHERE: The National Press Club, First Amendment Room, 529 14th St. NW, Washington
WASHINGTON – Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley will be available for media interviews Thursday following a panel discussion on the need for clearer tax rules governing nonprofits and churches. Stanley will join the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, the Center for American Progress, Public Citizen, and keynote speaker Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
The discussion, “A Rising Tide Will Lift All Boats: Evangelical and Progressive Perspectives on the Need for Clear Rules for Nonprofits,” will focus on vague IRS tax rules pertaining to the participation of nonprofits in political campaign-related activity. The panelists will discuss the need for better guidelines defining political activity and provide specific recommendations.
“Churches, not the IRS, should be allowed to decide what they want to talk about from the pulpit,” said Stanley, who is also director of the ADF Church Project and its Pulpit Freedom effort. “The IRS should not have vague tax laws that can arbitrarily be enforced against churches to revoke their tax-exempt status. Churches and other religious congregations deserve clearer tax guidelines so they can enjoy their constitutionally protected freedoms without fear of government retaliation.”
The discussion will be moderated by Dan Busby, president of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, and Lisa Gilbert, director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
WASHINGTON – Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley will be available for media interviews Thursday following a panel discussion on the need for clearer tax rules governing nonprofits and churches. Stanley will join the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, the Center for American Progress, Public Citizen, and keynote speaker Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
The discussion, “A Rising Tide Will Lift All Boats: Evangelical and Progressive Perspectives on the Need for Clear Rules for Nonprofits,” will focus on vague IRS tax rules pertaining to the participation of nonprofits in political campaign-related activity. The panelists will discuss the need for better guidelines defining political activity and provide specific recommendations.
“Churches, not the IRS, should be allowed to decide what they want to talk about from the pulpit,” said Stanley, who is also director of the ADF Church Project and its Pulpit Freedom effort. “The IRS should not have vague tax laws that can arbitrarily be enforced against churches to revoke their tax-exempt status. Churches and other religious congregations deserve clearer tax guidelines so they can enjoy their constitutionally protected freedoms without fear of government retaliation.”
The discussion will be moderated by Dan Busby, president of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, and Lisa Gilbert, director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
# # #