WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has issued an advisory warning churches and other charities not to endorse candidates or engage in political campaign activities during the election year. Tax-exempt organizations are prohibited from supporting or opposing candidates for public office, the IRS said in a news release about the advisory.
The tax agency said groups can sponsor forums or debates that educate voters but the organizations cannot state a preference for or against individual candidates.
If a tax-exempt organization is found to have taken part in prohibited campaign activity, it could lose its exempt status or be required to pay an excise tax on the amount of money spent on the prohibited activity. Similar advisories were issued in 1992 and 1996.
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