AP

Warren joins Buttigieg in nixing threat to church tax status

Oct 14, 2019, 1:08 PM

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2019, file photo Democratic presidential candidate former Texas Rep. Beto O...

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2019, file photo Democratic presidential candidate former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke speaks during the Power of our Pride Town Hall in Los Angeles. O’Rourke’s assertion last week that religious institutions should face the loss of their tax exemption for opposing same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Elizabeth Warren would not seek to revoke the tax-exempt status of churches or other religious entities that decline to perform same-sex marriages if she’s elected president, the Massachusetts Democrat’s campaign said.

Asked to respond to former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s assertion last week that religious institutions should face the loss of their tax exemption for opposing same-sex marriage, Warren campaign spokeswoman Saloni Sharma said that “Elizabeth will stand shoulder to shoulder with the LGBTQ+ community” to help stamp out “fear of discrimination and violence.” But she declined to take aim at the tax status of religious organizations that don’t support same-sex marriage.

“Religious institutions in America have long been free to determine their own beliefs and practices, and she does not think we should require them to conduct same-sex marriages in order to maintain their tax-exempt status,” Sharma said by email.

Warren is the latest Democratic presidential hopeful to create distance from O’Rourke’s suggestion as President Donald Trump joined a conservative outcry against it, accusing him of threatening religious freedom. Trump belittled O’Rourke as a “wacko” during Saturday remarks to the conservative Values Voter Summit, signaling a willingness to use the issue to drive a wedge between voters of faith and the Democratic Party.

Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., told CNN on Sunday that “going after the tax exemption of churches, Islamic centers or other religious facilities in this country, I think that’s just going to deepen the divisions that we’re already experiencing.”

O’Rourke offered an unequivocal “yes” on Thursday when CNN asked during a town hall on LGBTQ issues if opposition to same-sex marriage should imperil religious institutions’ tax exemption, a longstanding fixture of U.S. tax law. His campaign manager sought to clarify that position on Sunday, stating that O’Rourke would not threaten the tax status of churches that decline to perform same-sex marriages.

A religious entity that “discriminates based on sexual orientation or gender identity when delivering public services” should not be tax exempt, but O’Rourke would not try to revoke the tax status of “a church that declines to marry a same sex couple,” campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon tweeted.

However, O’Rourke’s initial comment had already sparked loud condemnation from prominent Republicans and other conservatives, some of whom used it to suggest that Democrats would seek to punish religious organizations that don’t agree with their support for same-sex marriage.

Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott tweeted on Friday that O’Rourke “is the most honest Democrat running for President — he admits they want to shut down churches if they don’t adhere to his beliefs.” Mississippi GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith weighed in on Saturday, tweeting that “Democrats’ unconstitutional attacks against our religious liberties must be stopped.”

Trump, after slamming O’Rourke on Saturday without using his name, told religious conservatives that “I will never allow the IRS to be used as a political weapon.” The president also has repeatedly touted his efforts to ease enforcement of a decades-old provision of federal tax law known as the Johnson Amendment that bars tax-exempt organizations such as houses of worship from engaging in political campaigns.

Yet even before O’Rourke made his initial comment about undoing the tax exemption for certain religious institutions, another Democratic presidential rival declined to endorse the idea.

“I’m not saying, because I know this is a long legal battle,” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker told CNN when asked the same question O’Rourke fielded, earlier in the televised town hall.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

AP

close up of a peleton bike pictured, a recall has been issued for some...

Associated Press

Peloton recalling more than 2M exercise bikes because the seat post assembly can break during use

The recall includes approximately 2.2 million of the Peloton Bikes Model PL01. The bikes were sold from January 2018 through May 2023 for about $1,400.

11 months ago

Immigration Asylum Family Reunification Explainer....

JULIE WATSON Associated Press

US will let in at least 100,000 Latin Americans to reunite with families

President Joe Biden's administration has promised to offer more legal options for Latin American migrants to come to the United States to be reunited with their families.

11 months ago

two border patrol agents pictured, agents are dealing with a surge as title 42 reaches its expirati...

Associated Press

Title 42 has ended. Here’s what it did, and how US immigration policy is changing

The end of Title 42's use has raised questions about what will happen with migration preparing for an increase in migrants.

11 months ago

Rumman Chowdhury is pictured, she is the coordinator for the mass AI hacking exercise...

Associated Press

Hackers aim to find flaws in AI – with White House help

No sooner did ChatGPT get unleashed than hackers started “jailbreaking” the artificial intelligence chatbot – trying to override its safeguards so it could blurt out something unhinged or obscene. But now its maker, OpenAI, and other major AI providers such as Google and Microsoft, are coordinating with the Biden administration to let thousands of hackers […]

11 months ago

Parents of Ema Kobiljski, 13, mourn during the funeral procession at the central cemetery in Belgra...

JOVANA GEC Associated Press

Burials held in Serbia for some victims of mass shootings

Funerals are taking place in Serbia for some of the victims of two mass shootings that happened in just two days, leaving 17 people dead and 21 wounded, many of them children.

11 months ago

interest rate...

DAVID McHUGH AP Business Writer

Europe’s inflation inches up ahead of interest rate decision

Europe's painful inflation has inched higher, extending the squeeze on households and keeping pressure on the European Central Bank to unleash what could be another large interest rate increase.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

close up of rose marvel saliva blooms in purple...

Shannon Cavalero

Drought Tolerant Perennials for Utah

The best drought tolerant plants for Utah can handle high elevations, alkaline soils, excessive exposure to wind, and use of secondary water.

Group of cheerful team members high fiving each other...

Visit Bear Lake

How To Plan a Business Retreat in Bear Lake This Spring

Are you wondering how to plan a business retreat this spring? Read our sample itinerary to plan a team getaway to Bear Lake.

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...

BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.

Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a New Winter Activity? Try Skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.

Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...

Intermountain Health

Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer – and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.

Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.

Warren joins Buttigieg in nixing threat to church tax status