Wall Street Journal: Pastors May Defy IRS Gag Rule

Suzanne Sataline reports on the Wall Street Journal:

A conservative legal-advocacy group is enlisting ministers to use their pulpits to preach about election candidates this September, defying a tax law that bars churches from engaging in politics.

Alliance Defense Fund, a Scottsdale, Ariz., nonprofit, is hoping at least one sermon will prompt the Internal Revenue Service to investigate, sparking a court battle that could get the tax provision declared unconstitutional. Alliance lawyers represent churches in disputes with the IRS over alleged partisan activity . . .

It also comes as the IRS has increased its investigations of churches accused of engaging in politics . . .

Related: ADF announces new initiative to reclaim pastors’ First Amendment rights