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Opponents attempt to censor historically black church; suggestions of political bias in application of IRS regs.
Roman P. Storzer
The St. Petersburg Times reports that the IRS has been investigating the First Baptist Church of College Hill in Tampa for participating in a political campaign. The Service was apparently tipped off by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, an aggressive opponent of religious speech that mentions political campaigns. The threat worked:
The political forum at the historically black church would not be taking place, [a worker] said. At the last minute, it was being moved to a public library. . . . The Rev. Abraham Brown didn't want to hold another political event when the IRS was asking questions. . . .
What was accomplished? The event took place anyway, but some congregants likely missed the event, and therefore important perspectives on moral and political issues. However, the St. Petersburg Times writes, serious questions about the impartiality of the IRS' application of these anti-political speech rules were raised. Is it more likely that this church, which hosted Janet Reno in 1992, would be investigated by a Republican administration, and a church that placed ads stating "Bill Clinton is promoting policies that are in rebellion to God's laws" would be prosecuted by a Democrat one in the 1990s?