History shows that governments’ attempts to strengthen religious institutions can backfire.
Articles on Johnson amendment
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There’s only one known instance of a church losing its tax-exempt status because it violated the Johnson Amendment, but Republicans have tried to get rid of it before.
Two scholars of nonprofits explain what is and isn’t permissible.
Deactivating the tax provision known as the Johnson Amendment could increase the flow of dark money, reducing accountability in campaign finance.
Trump embraced evangelicals in his first year as president. Here, scholars provide historical context to how the religious right has shaped American politics over the past decades.
More than US$20 billion per year in giving is potentially at stake.
A provision in the House’s pending tax bill would let religious and secular nonprofits engage in political speech without facing a penalty.
President Trump claims that churches suffer from the over-regulation of their political speech. In reality, oversight is lax for religious groups and secular tax-exempt nonprofits alike.
The Johnson Amendment requires houses of worship to stay away from politics to receive tax exemptions. Yet, their leaders can speak out in a variety of ways that could reflect their religious views.
President Trump recently repeated his pledge to eliminate the 63-year-old law, which bans charities from engaging in political activities, at the National Prayer Breakfast.
Top contributors
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Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh
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Senior Research Fellow in Nonprofit Organizations, UMass Amherst
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Professor of Accounting, The Ohio State University
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Professor of Accounting, Elon University
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Glenn Family Chair Emeritus of Economics and Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University
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Associate Professor of Public Policy, UMass Boston
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Associate Professor of Nonprofit Studies, George Mason University
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Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame
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Professor of Law, Loyola University Chicago
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Faculty Lecturer in Political Science, McGill University