07/08/2025

IRS Now Says Churches Should be Allowed to Make Political Endorsements

Since 1954, the IRS has banned nonprofits from participating in political campaigns

In a recent court filing, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said that clergy and houses of worship should be allowed to make political endorsements, a potential move away from an 71-year-old tax policy that banned the mixing of religion and politics.

Banning nonprofits — including congregations — from participating in political campaigns violates the First Amendment’s protection of the right to the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech, IRS Commissioner Billy Long said in a court filing Monday in a Texas federal court case.

Nonprofits should be allowed to make political endorsements and not lose their tax exemption, the IRS said in the court filing. Religious congregations, the filing said, are like families and communication between them should not be deemed "participation" in a campaign.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.