There is a provision in the tax code, sometimes referred to as the Johnson Amendment, that protects the integrity of tax-exempt organizations, including houses of worship, by ensuring they do not endorse or oppose political candidates. This law, which has been in place for six decades, is a valuable safeguard that does not allow political parties and candidates seeking power to use houses of worship and other 501(c)(3) organizations as their tool. No one wants our charities and houses of worship to be torn apart by partisan campaign politics.
In 1996, Americans United launched Project Fair Play. Through this project we fight all attempts to repeal or weaken the Johnson Amendment. We also educate religious leaders and other Americans about the rules that apply to political activity by tax-exempt organizations. When we see egregious violations of the law, we report them to the IRS. Ten election cycles later, we're still at it.
