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IRS investigating church that hosted Kerry
Kelly Jane Torrance
The Miami Herald reports that a Liberty City, FL, church is under investigation by the IRS for hosting John Kerry during the presidential election season:
The reason for the investigation, an IRS official wrote in a 10-page letter obtained by The Herald, is that ``a reasonable belief exists that Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has engaged in political activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status as a church.''
The IRS is being thorough in its quest for information: "Included with the letter is a 21-item questionnaire that the church must answer regarding the circumstances leading up to and during Kerry's appearance."
The church's leader, Rev. Gaston Smith, seems quite sincere in his belief that John Kerry would "bring our country out of despair, despondency and disgust." But the IRS doesn't believe Smith should be able to communicate those ideas to his flock. Many people attend religious services for guidance--guidance the IRS doesn't seem to want them to have.