Although the practice has been illegal for decades, the IRS rarely takes any action to reprimand high-profile scofflaws.
Religious conservatives are stepping up the pressure on Republicans legislators as the final week of the legislative session approaches and a proposed amendment to add a ban on gay marriage to the Minnesota Constitution appears stalled. The Minnesota Family Council threatened Republicans that any effort to stall the bill will be redefined as a vote against the bill, while the National Organization for Marriage pleaded that if the bill doesn’t go forward it will encourage “gay marriage activists.”
Brad Brandon, the Hastings pastor who endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer from the pulpit, said Emmer will lose after the vote recount because he didn’t reach out to evangelicals on social issues. On his radio program, Brandon chided Emmer: “He refused to allow God into his campaign, that’s what it boils down to.” Emmer dodged questions about abortion and gay rights at every turn during the campaign, including on Brandon’s show.
Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips sent an email to members on Saturday that said voters should pick independent Lynne Torgerson over Rep. Keith Ellison in the 5th Congressional District race because, “He is the only Muslim member of congress.” Torgerson, who has been very critical of Muslims in general and Ellison in particular, spoke out about the issue on a Christian radio show last week.
As a state legislator, Tom Emmer has been vocal about divisive social issues — he led the charge to amend the constitution to bar gay marriage, tried to prevent same-sex couples from using surrogate mothers, and called an AIDS outreach program to gay men “disgusting discourse” — but now that he’s running for governor, Emmer’s virtually silent on such topics. While Emmer has focused on the economy in his campaign, his aversion to discussing social issues may be a bid to reach moderate voters.
Republican Secretary of State candidate Dan Severson has been hitting the religious right radio circuit over the past few weeks, doing interviews with headline-making figures like Bradlee Dean of You Can Run But You Cannot Hide and Pastor Brad Brandon of Berean Bible Baptist Church in Hastings. Severson told his interviewers that he believes the constitutional clause calling for the separation of church and state doesn’t exist, and that he feels there was “fraud, in a major way” in the U.S. Senate recount of 2008.
Citing reporting by the Minnesota Independent, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service Monday against Hastings’ Berean Bible Baptist Church and its pastor, Brad Brandon, for violating the ban on tax-exempt churches endorsing candidates. Brandon endorsed a slate of Republican, Constitution and independent candidates during his Sunday sermon after challenging the “liberal media” to report on his activities. AU urged the IRS to “investigate this matter and fully enforce our laws.”
Pastor Brad Brandon of Berean Bible Baptist Church in Hastings followed through on his recent promise: On Sunday he endorsed a slew of conservative candidates from his pulpit, including Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, in apparent violation of laws governing tax-exempt organizations. Brandon’s church is also distributing an endorsement list that includes nine Republican and two Constitution Party candidates in races across the state. He noted that he arrived at his choices based on the candidates posititions on bringing God into the classroom, opposing abortion and homosexuality, and support for Israel.
Two Minnesota pastors say they will endorse political candidates from the pulpit this Sunday, in direct defiance of federal law that prohibits such politicking at tax-exempt churches: Brad Brandon of Berean Bible Baptist Church in Hastings announced his intentions on his KKMS radio show earlier this week, while Greg Stone of Jesus Assembly of God in St. Peter outlined his plans on Facebook. Stone writes that, unlike most of his sermons, this Sunday’s won’t be available as a podcast. Brandon taunts the “liberal media” to file an IRS complaint against his church. “Do it out of hatred for me,” he urged.
Several dozen activists who oppose marriage rights for same-sex couples gathered under the Minnesota Capitol rotunda Thursday afternoon to advocate for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Several politicians spoke, including congressional candidate Barb Davis White, who criticized Rep. Keith Ellison for being a Muslim who supports marriage equality for same-sex couples. A pastor claimed that homosexuals teach children to masturbate.
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
