Washington — The IRS says pastors who endorse political candidates from the pulpit shouldn't have to risk their churches losing their tax-exempt status.
The move effectively calls for a carve-out for religious organizations from the rarely used IRS rule called the Johnson Amendment, put in place in 1954 and named after then-Sen. Lyndon Johnson.
The Johnson Amendment to the U.S. tax code prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates.
The IRS has generally not enforced the Johnson Amendment against houses of worship for speech related to electoral politics.
President Trump has said he wanted to get rid of the Johnson Amendment and signed an executive order in 2017 directing Treasury to disregard the rule.
Representatives from the IRS and the National Religious Broadcasters Association didn't respond to an Associated Press request for comment.
Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers introduced legislation to scrap the Johnson Amendment. »