The IRS is investigating the United Church of Christ over a speech Sen. Barack Obama gave at its national meeting last year after he became a candidate for president, the denomination said Tuesday.
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(Photo: AP Images / Brian Kersey)Worshippers arrive for services at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Sunday, March 11, 2007. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has been a member of the church since 1988.
Obama, an Illinois Democrat, belongs to the 1.2 million-member Protestant group through his Chicago congregation.
In a letter the denomination received Monday, the IRS said "reasonable belief exists" that the circumstances surrounding the speech violated restrictions on political activity for tax-exempt organizations. The denomination has denied any wrongdoing.
Obama, a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, spoke about faith and public life at the denomination's June 2007 General Synod in Hartford, Conn.
The IRS said in the letter that it was concerned about articles posted on the church's Web site and on other sites stating that Obama had addressed nearly 10,000 people at the event. The agency also said Obama volunteers had staffed campaign tables "outside the center to promote his campaign."
The Rev. J. Bennett Guess, a spokesman for the Cleveland-based denomination, said a group of Obama volunteers was outside the Hartford Civic Center, where the event took place, but that they were told they could not enter the meeting.
The UCC had invited Obama to speak a year before he announced he was running for president because of his involvement in the denomination, Guess said.
Church leaders consulted with lawyers before the event on following IRS rules. Before Obama spoke, a top church official told the crowd that the senator's talk was not a campaign-related event and that no leaflets or other signs of political support would be allowed.
Nonprofits are barred from endorsing candidates or providing support for campaigns, although groups are allowed to invite candidates to address them and many do so. Guess said no other presidential candidates were invited because Obama was the only one active in the UCC.
The Rev. John H. Thomas, president of the denomination, called the inquiry "disturbing."
"When the invitation to an elected public official to speak to the national meeting of his own church family is called into question, it has a chilling effect on every religious community," Thomas said in a statement.
Amy Brundage, an Obama spokeswoman, insisted the speech was not a campaign event. In the address, Obama spoke about his personal spiritual journey and had said that faith had been misused in the past to divide Americans, partly because of the Christian right.
The IRS has stepped up its monitoring of the political activity of nonprofit groups during the 2008 election. It is more common for individual congregations to be targeted, not entire denominations, but very large ministries have been investigated in the past.
The inquiries can take years. Punishments can range from a financial penalty to loss of tax-exempt status — an outcome that church attorneys call the "death penalty" for nonprofits.
The IRS does not comment on investigations because tax information is confidential.
J. Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, which defends religious groups against government interference, called the timing of the investigation "peculiar." But he said he generally has found the IRS to be nonpartisan.
"They have not gone after the left or the right or one party over another," Walker said. "Both sides have accused the service of doing that, but my impression is that they've done a pretty good job being nonpartisan."
United Church of Christ, link to IRS letter:
http://www.ucc.org/news/obama-speech-in-2007-prompts-1.html
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Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Good! I'm glad they're investigating this 'church' (in name only).
Considering their 'pastor' praises Louis Farrakhan (the black equivalent of a Grand Dragon or Nazi), claims that America got 'what it asked for' on 9/11, and insults the memory of murder victim Natalee Holloway by insinuating she was a drunken slut (and therefore personally responsible for being murdered) ... sounds more like a racist rally than a church anyway.
truthfulwitness - You hypocrite! Every person that speaks at every church is a sinner - every pastor included. Besides that, you pick and choose which parts to believe in just like everyone else. Disgusting.
"I guess they only pick certain parts of the Bible to believe in. " As it s is the case for so many Christians. I guess it could be excused, as the ambiguity contain in the Bible makes it possible. What st interesting is observing the choices made and compare them to the rhetoric they spout.
I have wondered why the IRS does not do more of this type of investigating. How often Ihave seen political leaders speaking in churches. I am somewhat surprized that they were willing to investigate Obama. People need to look closely at this man before voting for him, IMHO.
I have looked at Obama's voting record, most of the time, he isn't there to vote on anything and when a vote is taken, HE doesn't vote. It's like he didn't want anyone to pin him down one way or another.
I'm not going to vote for anyone simply because of their sex or color. I'm looking at the full character of the person. Anyone can say they are a Christian, or believe in God, well so do the demons, but they don't worship Him.
I pray for all those in authority because God tells me to, they don't hold those posts on their own, but by GOD's design!
JHS, are you a follower of Jesus Christ, whatever those folks are, they are loved by GOD and we ought not to speak like this to anyone. Least of all brothers and sisters.
This is the problem with the "Christians" how does this represent Jesus??
It is sad when the Lord tells us to love our brethren, in Ephesians His Word tells us to speak words that encourage, to build one another up, to sing hymns, spiritual songs over one another.
This is one reason so many have a hard time finding the true Body of CHRIST...they see this and don't want any part of the "church" and small wonder why.
JESUS CHRIST died to resurrect us out of THIS WORLD, so why do we try so hard to stay here?
So the UCC invites a person to speak who is for abortion and homosexuality. Some church. I guess they only pick certain parts of the Bible to believe in.
Harald Hardrada - That might be the most racist, ignorant thing anyone has ever posted on CP and there have been some whoppers posted here!
As for the article itself, I can't believe what passes for journalism these days. This certainly isn't unbiased that's for sure. The UCC is as much his denomination as it is any of the other members. Well at least we all know where the Christian Post stands I guess.
I think the American people should do their own investigation, too. Try looknging at the Senator's voting record for one. SCARY!!!
MAYBE THEY SHOULD INVESTIGATE THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, THEY HAVE BEEN THE HARLOT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR YEARS