Dec. 5, 2007
Group Challenges Liberty University's Support of Mike Huckabee
Asks IRS Investigation; Says Candidate Has Ties to "Second Coming" Promoter John Hagee
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Richmond, VA (HNN) – A religious watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. has complained to the Internal Revenue Service concerning an article ran in a Liberty University publication. The tax-exempt institution, according to the Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS) release, implied that “Huckabee is God’s candidate.”
The former Baptist minister from Hope, Arkansas told students at Liberty that he is the “common man’s Republican.” LU chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. introduced the presidential candidate who grew up in the same hometown as former President Bill Clinton at a convocation on the campus stating, “He’s one of us. A lot of the other candidates try to talk like evangelicals but he’s actually one of us. He believes like we do on all the issues.”
The Liberty Journal stated the university “stopped short of endorsing Huckabee, but Jerry Falwell Jr. gave his personal endorsement.” Previously, Huckabee had told university leaders last year that “if his candidacy took off it would have to be a God thing.”
Americans United complained that after the candidate’s appearance, Falwell sent an e-mail alert on university letterhead endorsing Huckabee. The Liberty News Alert dated Dec. 1 was accompanied by an article from a “university run online publication implying that Huckabee is God’s candidate,” the release said.
On November 19, the IRS issued a statement reminding charities and churches about the ban on politicking. The AUSCS web site states, “As tax exempt entities, houses of worship may not intervene in partisan politics by endorsing or opposing candidates. Pulpit-based electioneering not only violates federal law, many believe it corrupts the true mission of our faith communities.”
The Project Fair Play website explains the limitations church electioneering. (http://projectfairplay.org ) “A political endorsement can take many forms. It can include church distribution of biased voter guides that favor one candidate over another and that are narrowly tailored to address only certain issues of interest to the church.”
The Church at Pierce Creek, near Binghamton, N.Y., lost its tax–exempt status for placing 1992 newspaper advertising urging the defeat of Bill Clinton.
Houses of Worship may address social, moral and political issues, such as discussing of ballot referenda and speaking out on proposed legislation. “They may not intervene in partisan races that involve candidates by taking actions that endorse or oppose anyone seeking public office,” the Fairplay site states.
(Anyone wishing to report a violation may click: http://projectfairplay.org/report/ )
Despite these laws, numerous ministers have endorsed Huckabee. The ultra right Falwell/Liberty “endorsement” comes after Pastor John Hagee, head of the 18,000 member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, TX, has been one of Huckabee 's strongest supporters. Hagee and Huckabee agree that “Islamic fascism” represents the beginnings of World War III.
Hagee has written Jerusalem Countdown, which made the U.S.A. Today top 50 best seller list in 2006. The minister founded Christian United for Israel (CUFI), a lobbying organization that puts the conservative evangelical movement behind his grand plan for a Biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ, Sarah Posner wrote in the May 21, 2006 edition of The American Prospect.
According to Rev. Hagee prophetic interpretations, Iran already has nuclear weapons of destroying both Israel and the United States. He has been lobbying for President Bush to strike Iran. In fact, his book claims that the Book of Esther pin points Iran (Persia) as the end time hot spot. Based on his beliefs, Russia will invade Israel, the United States will not intervene, and will have both coasts “nuked.”
What has “shocked and awed” voters in New Hampshire though is that the presidential candidate has asserted that we are in the now in the midst of World War III. But does Huckabee agree with Hagee? Stephen Strang, one of Huckabee’s earliest supporters, owns Strang Communications, an apocalyptic prophesy publisher.
Responding to the End Times scenario, Huckabee told reporters that “every generation” prepares for the End Times which “could be” occurring right now.
The presidential candidate has already formed a Faith and Values Coalition with Janet Folger, former Southern Baptist Convention president and radio show host, as its leader. The announcement came in the Spring of 2007 during a three-day conference where both Kenneth Copeland and Paula White, already under investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley for alleged lavish lifestyles.
Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of AUSCS, cautioned, “Falwell surely knows that these types of political endorsements are illegal. Tax exempt religious institutions may not be used to support or oppose candidates for public office.”
In 1993, the late Jerry Falwell Sr.’s Old Time Gospel Hour had its tax exemption retroactively revoked for the years 1986 and 1987, resulting in the ministry paying $50,000 for its involvement in partisan politics, the release said.
Pastors and heads of 501(c)(3) non-profit groups are free to endorse candidates as private individuals, but the Internal Revenue Code does not allow them to use institutional resources, such as official publications, Web sites and other forms of communication, to back or oppose candidates.
“Falwell seems determined to misuse tax-exempt resources, just like his father did,” said Lynn. “The IRS needs to step in and break this chain of flagrant disregard for the law.”
Although Huckabee has not yet secured widely publicized West Virginia religious group endorsements, the former minister benefited from a surge of late delegate filings for the upcoming West Virginia Republican Convention in Charleston.
Huckabee had only six delegates in West Virginia a week ago, but by the Nov. 30 filing deadline, his total climbed to 123. That puts him just behind Ron Paul’s 131, Fred Thompson’s 133, and Mitt Romney’s 153, according to the http://www.wvgopconvention.com website.
Updated delegate counts should be released Wednesday or Thursday.
The current totals from Cabell County have 29 Huckabee delegates, 13 Ron Paul, 11 uncommitted, 10 Fred Thompson, 6 Rudy Giuliani, 2 Mitt Romney, and 1 for John McCain.
On November 27, the totals for Cabell County were 7 Fred Thompson, 6 Ron Paul, 5 Rudy Giuliani, 4 uncommitted , 2 Mitt Romney and 1 John McCain.
Group Challenges Liberty University's Support of Mike Huckabee
Asks IRS Investigation; Says Candidate Has Ties to "Second Coming" Promoter John Hagee
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Richmond, VA (HNN) – A religious watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. has complained to the Internal Revenue Service concerning an article ran in a Liberty University publication. The tax-exempt institution, according to the Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS) release, implied that “Huckabee is God’s candidate.”
The former Baptist minister from Hope, Arkansas told students at Liberty that he is the “common man’s Republican.” LU chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. introduced the presidential candidate who grew up in the same hometown as former President Bill Clinton at a convocation on the campus stating, “He’s one of us. A lot of the other candidates try to talk like evangelicals but he’s actually one of us. He believes like we do on all the issues.”
The Liberty Journal stated the university “stopped short of endorsing Huckabee, but Jerry Falwell Jr. gave his personal endorsement.” Previously, Huckabee had told university leaders last year that “if his candidacy took off it would have to be a God thing.”
Americans United complained that after the candidate’s appearance, Falwell sent an e-mail alert on university letterhead endorsing Huckabee. The Liberty News Alert dated Dec. 1 was accompanied by an article from a “university run online publication implying that Huckabee is God’s candidate,” the release said.
On November 19, the IRS issued a statement reminding charities and churches about the ban on politicking. The AUSCS web site states, “As tax exempt entities, houses of worship may not intervene in partisan politics by endorsing or opposing candidates. Pulpit-based electioneering not only violates federal law, many believe it corrupts the true mission of our faith communities.”
The Project Fair Play website explains the limitations church electioneering. (http://projectfairplay.org ) “A political endorsement can take many forms. It can include church distribution of biased voter guides that favor one candidate over another and that are narrowly tailored to address only certain issues of interest to the church.”
The Church at Pierce Creek, near Binghamton, N.Y., lost its tax–exempt status for placing 1992 newspaper advertising urging the defeat of Bill Clinton.
Houses of Worship may address social, moral and political issues, such as discussing of ballot referenda and speaking out on proposed legislation. “They may not intervene in partisan races that involve candidates by taking actions that endorse or oppose anyone seeking public office,” the Fairplay site states.
(Anyone wishing to report a violation may click: http://projectfairplay.org/report/ )
Despite these laws, numerous ministers have endorsed Huckabee. The ultra right Falwell/Liberty “endorsement” comes after Pastor John Hagee, head of the 18,000 member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, TX, has been one of Huckabee 's strongest supporters. Hagee and Huckabee agree that “Islamic fascism” represents the beginnings of World War III.
Hagee has written Jerusalem Countdown, which made the U.S.A. Today top 50 best seller list in 2006. The minister founded Christian United for Israel (CUFI), a lobbying organization that puts the conservative evangelical movement behind his grand plan for a Biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ, Sarah Posner wrote in the May 21, 2006 edition of The American Prospect.
According to Rev. Hagee prophetic interpretations, Iran already has nuclear weapons of destroying both Israel and the United States. He has been lobbying for President Bush to strike Iran. In fact, his book claims that the Book of Esther pin points Iran (Persia) as the end time hot spot. Based on his beliefs, Russia will invade Israel, the United States will not intervene, and will have both coasts “nuked.”
What has “shocked and awed” voters in New Hampshire though is that the presidential candidate has asserted that we are in the now in the midst of World War III. But does Huckabee agree with Hagee? Stephen Strang, one of Huckabee’s earliest supporters, owns Strang Communications, an apocalyptic prophesy publisher.
Responding to the End Times scenario, Huckabee told reporters that “every generation” prepares for the End Times which “could be” occurring right now.
The presidential candidate has already formed a Faith and Values Coalition with Janet Folger, former Southern Baptist Convention president and radio show host, as its leader. The announcement came in the Spring of 2007 during a three-day conference where both Kenneth Copeland and Paula White, already under investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley for alleged lavish lifestyles.
Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of AUSCS, cautioned, “Falwell surely knows that these types of political endorsements are illegal. Tax exempt religious institutions may not be used to support or oppose candidates for public office.”
In 1993, the late Jerry Falwell Sr.’s Old Time Gospel Hour had its tax exemption retroactively revoked for the years 1986 and 1987, resulting in the ministry paying $50,000 for its involvement in partisan politics, the release said.
Pastors and heads of 501(c)(3) non-profit groups are free to endorse candidates as private individuals, but the Internal Revenue Code does not allow them to use institutional resources, such as official publications, Web sites and other forms of communication, to back or oppose candidates.
“Falwell seems determined to misuse tax-exempt resources, just like his father did,” said Lynn. “The IRS needs to step in and break this chain of flagrant disregard for the law.”
Although Huckabee has not yet secured widely publicized West Virginia religious group endorsements, the former minister benefited from a surge of late delegate filings for the upcoming West Virginia Republican Convention in Charleston.
Huckabee had only six delegates in West Virginia a week ago, but by the Nov. 30 filing deadline, his total climbed to 123. That puts him just behind Ron Paul’s 131, Fred Thompson’s 133, and Mitt Romney’s 153, according to the http://www.wvgopconvention.com website.
Updated delegate counts should be released Wednesday or Thursday.
The current totals from Cabell County have 29 Huckabee delegates, 13 Ron Paul, 11 uncommitted, 10 Fred Thompson, 6 Rudy Giuliani, 2 Mitt Romney, and 1 for John McCain.
On November 27, the totals for Cabell County were 7 Fred Thompson, 6 Ron Paul, 5 Rudy Giuliani, 4 uncommitted , 2 Mitt Romney and 1 John McCain.
