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Judi Lynn

(160,649 posts) Tue Dec 31, 2019, 08:09 PM Dec 2019

Trump event in Miami church may violate IRS rules, non-profit says

Source: Reuters

DECEMBER 31, 2019 / 4:28 PM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Heather Timmons
4 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - El Rey Jesus, an evangelical Florida mega-church due to host a re-election event for President Donald Trump this week, may be violating tax rules barring religious groups from participating in political campaigns, a non-profit said on Tuesday.

Trump will launch an “Evangelicals for Trump” coalition of supporters at the church, also known as King Jesus International Ministry, on Friday, the Trump re-election campaign and the church announced this week. El Rey Jesus attracts thousands of people to services delivered in English and Spanish every week, church leaders claim.

On Sunday, El Rey Jesus’ founder Guillermo Maldonado urged his congregation to attend the Trump event at its church in Miami saying: “If you want to come, do it for your pastor. That’s a way of supporting me,” the Miami Herald reported on Dec. 29.

Internal Revenue Service rules here exempt charities, including churches, from federal taxes provided they do "not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates."

Maldonado’s Dec. 29 sermon, as reported by media, appears to have violated the IRS rules, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a non-partisan group that advocates for the separation of church and state, said on Tuesday.

Read more: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-trump-religion/trump-event-in-miami-church-may-violate-irs-rules-non-profit-says-idUKKBN1YZ1EO?rpc=401&

19 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Trump event in Miami church may violate IRS rules, non-profit says (Original Post) Judi Lynn Dec 2019 OP

I can only surmise that Mr. Maldonado approves of kids in cages Skittles Dec 2019 #1

Some protesters ought to bring cages of brown baby Jesuses and troll that event kimbutgar Dec 2019 #6

Brilliant! McKim Dec 2019 #9

They don't care about none of them stinkin' rules. BigmanPigman Dec 2019 #2

Tax rules, and it seems any rules are made for Trump to break. Maribelle Jan 2020 #15

Tax the churches. BlueIdaho Dec 2019 #3

I agree. n/t EndlessWire Dec 2019 #10

Agreed Sherman A1 Jan 2020 #12

It probably does violate the rules, as if that would matter when it's trump. badhair77 Dec 2019 #4

You know what they say. "It's easier to ignore the IRS rules than it is to get permission." n/t TheFourthMind Dec 2019 #5

the blasphemy of raising a man above God. lets worship an antichrist. Thomas Hurt Dec 2019 #7

Right out in the open Roy Rolling Dec 2019 #11

that billboard should be enough to lose their status. mopinko Dec 2019 #8

I'm sure a thorough IRS review and subpoena are coming any minute now.... Takket Jan 2020 #13

This gab13by13 Jan 2020 #14

WTF is wrong with these people? They think he's the second freaking coming. Vinca Jan 2020 #16

They are all fellow grifters. Scruffy1 Jan 2020 #19

Religion has always been a con. Farmer-Rick Jan 2020 #17

Miami Vice Bayard Jan 2020 #18

Skittles

(153,226 posts)

1. I can only surmise that Mr. Maldonado approves of kids in cages

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 08:25 PM

Dec 2019

kimbutgar

(21,224 posts)

6. Some protesters ought to bring cages of brown baby Jesuses and troll that event

Reply to Skittles (Reply #1)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 10:10 PM

Dec 2019

McKim

(2,412 posts)

9. Brilliant!

Reply to kimbutgar (Reply #6)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 11:05 PM

Dec 2019

This is a brilliant idea. Theatre and setting the stage for a demonstration is a great strategy!

BigmanPigman

(51,642 posts)

2. They don't care about none of them stinkin' rules.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 08:27 PM

Dec 2019

Tax rules only apply to the Dems and those who are not billionaires. The GOP and their evangelical pals don't follow the tax rules, they break them.

Maribelle

(4,783 posts)

15. Tax rules, and it seems any rules are made for Trump to break.

Reply to BigmanPigman (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 09:09 AM

Jan 2020

Remembering how Trump broke the embargo with Cuba investing tens of thousands hoping to get an edge up should trade restrictions be lifted.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/donald-trump/article104851671.html

Trump is corrupt from head to toe, and always has been just as corrupt.

How does he always get away with this??? He should be in jail.

BlueIdaho

(13,582 posts)

3. Tax the churches.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 08:41 PM

Dec 2019

If they want to play politics, tax all the churches.

EndlessWire

(6,573 posts)

10. I agree. n/t

Reply to BlueIdaho (Reply #3)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 11:23 PM

Dec 2019

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)

12. Agreed

Reply to BlueIdaho (Reply #3)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 07:45 AM

Jan 2020

badhair77

(4,222 posts)

4. It probably does violate the rules, as if that would matter when it's trump.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 08:53 PM

Dec 2019

Is he actually holding a Bible in that photo? Something or someone should have burst into flames.

TheFourthMind

(343 posts)

5. You know what they say. "It's easier to ignore the IRS rules than it is to get permission." n/t

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 09:16 PM

Dec 2019

“Evangelicals for Trump." Are these the folks drinking Peter Popoff's Miracle Spring Water and then getting $65,000 checks in the mail from noone for no reason?

Thomas Hurt

(13,903 posts)

7. the blasphemy of raising a man above God. lets worship an antichrist.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 10:26 PM

Dec 2019

Roy Rolling

(6,943 posts)

11. Right out in the open

Reply to Thomas Hurt (Reply #7)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 11:24 PM

Dec 2019

Trump is driving a wedge between “honest” Christians and Trump worshippers. He may be the antichrist, but for sure one of his missions is making all self-professed Christians choose between him or their Jesus.

I’m rooting for the non-Trump Christians.

mopinko

(70,269 posts)

8. that billboard should be enough to lose their status.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Dec 31, 2019, 10:38 PM

Dec 2019

Takket

(21,646 posts)

13. I'm sure a thorough IRS review and subpoena are coming any minute now....

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 07:58 AM

Jan 2020

gab13by13

(21,440 posts)

14. This

Reply to Takket (Reply #13)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 08:36 AM

Jan 2020

Vinca

(50,318 posts)

16. WTF is wrong with these people? They think he's the second freaking coming.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 09:40 AM

Jan 2020

Scruffy1

(3,257 posts)

19. They are all fellow grifters.

Reply to Vinca (Reply #16)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 09:26 PM

Jan 2020

Megachurches are like a free for all for grifters.I have seen food "supplements", real estate, insurance, used cars, estate planners and about everything else recommended from the pulpit. The flock gets shorn a lot but I'm not sure who gets who. To me they are pretty much all of a bunch of grifters grifting each other. They are just different version of his Orangeness walking around convinced they can do no wrong because they are "special".

Farmer-Rick

(10,216 posts)

17. Religion has always been a con.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 10:40 AM

Jan 2020

Now in Florida it's a con with Don the Con. Lies and religion go hand and hand.

Bayard

(22,181 posts)

18. Miami Vice

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Jan 1, 2020, 12:25 PM

Jan 2020

The law is clear. Lose the tax exempt status.

And those pics are sickening.

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