'Unshackling the pulpit' or 'a brazen attack'?: 7 reactions to IRS letting pastors endorse politicians

7. American Humanist Association

The secularist legal firm American Humanist Association denounced the IRS decision. Executive Director Fish Stark said in a statement that it was "another dark day for our democracy."

"The Johnson Amendment, though weakened over the years by lax enforcement, is the small but mighty dam standing in the way of a torrent of dark money influencing our elections," he said. "Now that the Trump administration has opened the door to pastors and houses of worship explicitly backing candidates for office, all bets are off."

"There will be little to stop billionaires from funneling money through churches to buy our elections — and they will get a tax write-off for doing it, all subsidized by American taxpayers."