But the IRS has largely abdicated its enforcement responsibilities as churches have become more brazen.
Asked about enforcement efforts over the past decade, the IRS pointed the news organizations to annual reports that do not contain such information.
And in July, a New Mexico pastor called Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham “beyond evil” and “demonic” for supporting abortion access.
Churches have long balanced the tightrope of political involvement, and blatant violations have previously been rare.
Some conservative groups have argued that Black churches are more politically active than their white evangelical counterparts but are not as heavily scrutinized.
Jesse L. Jackson was accused of turning Sunday sermons into campaign rallies and using Black churches to raise funds.
Over the next four years, the committee investigated scores of churches, including 80 for endorsing candidates from the pulpit, according to IRS reports. »
