Americans United Files Politicking Complaint Against La. Church.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate The Asia Baptist Church in New Orleans, La., for supporting a candidate for governor in apparent violation of federal tax law.

During the gubernatorial campaign, Democratic candidate William Jefferson asked hundreds of pastors throughout Louisiana to declare Oct. 17 "William Jefferson for Governor Day" and solicit campaign contributions on his behalf. Federal tax law, however, prohibits houses of worship from endorsing candidates for public office and intervening on their behalf.

According to a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Asia Baptist heeded, Jefferson's request. Pastor Zebadee Bridges told the newspaper he not only spoke on Jefferson's behalf from the pulpit, but also directed those in attendance at Sunday services to contribution envelopes that had been sent to the church by the Jefferson campaign.

"Most people didn't put in but a dollar or so," Bridges told the Times-Picayune. "We probably collected $200. People who will give a dollar will vote. And that's what we're trying to do, too, to get people out to vote."

Bridges also told the newspaper, "The churches have always been involved in something political." Referring to Jefferson, he added, "This is the first black congressman we've had in the state of Louisiana. We've never elected a black governor, might never have one.... But if the churches don't help people get together to elect somebody, we'll never have one." (Despite the church-based push, Jefferson was soundly defeated by incumbent Gov. Mike Foster Oct. 23.)

Bridges' comments led Americans United to conclude that the congregation ignored federal tax law prohibitions on partisan politicking by churches. In a formal complaint filed with the Internal Revenue Service Oct. 25, Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn said Asia Baptist's activities "seem like a clear violation of the Internal Revenue Code.... Accordingly, I urge you to conduct an investigation into the actions of The Asia Baptist Church and any other Louisiana church that participated in partisan endeavors."

In 1996, Americans United began an effort called Project Fair Play. As part of the initiative, AU attempts to educate religious leaders about the legal and moral implications of houses of worship engaging in partisan politicking. The most egregious examples of religious institutions ignoring the law are reported to the IRS.

Project Fair Play is conducted in a non-partisan fashion. Since the initiative began, AU has reported church activities in support of Democratic, Republican and Independent campaigns. Most recently, Americans United reported eight churches to the IRS that had distributed Christian Coalition voter guides in support of GOP candidates in the 1998 election.