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Richards: Repeal of amendment is necessary

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What is the Johnson Amendment?

In 1954, Lyndon Baines Johnson as a minority leader in the U.S Senate running for re-election was successful in passing a bill that said if you want to be absolved from paying taxes to the IRS, you could not be involved in partisan politics.

Internal Revenue Code Section 501(a)(3) organizations (churches and clergy) are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in or intervening in any political campaign for elective public office. Violating the prohibition may result in denial or revocation of the tax exempt status and position of certain excise taxes. Johnson was re-elected and eventually became the 36th U.S. president in 1963 following the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

President Trump has vowed to repeal “The Johnson Amendment” but Congress has not officially passed legislation to repeal this prohibition against clergy, churches or other 501-K institutions allowing them to participate in the election process as the founders of our Nation did decades ago. Freedoms of speech will help “drain the swamp” in our nation’s capitol by repealing “The Johnson Amendment” now and forever.

The “hate Trump” lobby in Washington are against repealing it, but freedom loving citizens need to write their legislative congressional representative now for an initiative to repeal without further delay.

Bob Richards
Glendale