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Rep. Woolsey threatens church with IRS investigation
Published on November 10, 2009 02:50 AM
Category: Issue Advocacy, Lobbying
Politico published an "Ideas" piece from Rep. Lynn Woolsey of California yesterday. The co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Congress attacked the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for daring to express an opinion on legislation and urge their members to express their opinions to their lawmakers. She urged an IRS investigation into the tax-exempt group's political activity.
"Who elected them to Congress?" Woolsey writes, criticizing the bishops for lobbying for an abortion-related amendment to the recently-passed health care bill.
Such a statement typifies incumbent congressional reaction to grassroots energy or criticism of disfavored policies. Woolsey complains that the bishops "managed to bully members of Congress to vote for added restrictions on a perfectly legal surgical procedure."
Such political intimidation of grassroots activists exemplifies why organizations such as the Center for Competitive Politics exist: to point out why government-regulation of political speech is so pernicious in the hands of incumbent politicians like Rep. Woolsey and fight back against attempted political censorship.
The bishops were not endorsing politicians or contributing church money to campaigns; they were engaging in grassroots activism, core political speech. Woolsey ridiculously claims that taxpayers subsidize the political speech of the bishops because the USCCB enjoys tax-exempt status, as if free speech is a privilege granted at government whim rather than a fundamental constitutional right.
Free speech doesn't end at the Church gate just because a member of Congress is irritated.
Woolsey ends her blunt, nine-paragraph op-ed with a subtle threat:
The IRS is less restrictive about church involvement in efforts to influence legislation than it is about involvement in campaigns and elections.
Given the political behavior of USCCB in this case, maybe it shouldn't be.
Read the whole thing here. Members of Congress and pro-regulation groups are trying to restrict grassroots lobbying advocacy this Congress after a similar effort failed in 2007. Read the Center for Competitive Politics policy primers on grassroots lobbying here.
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