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Liberty Legal Institute
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903 East 18th Street, Suite 230 * Plano, TX 75074

Phone: 972-423-3131 ext 102, Fax: (972) 423-8899
  
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

April 14, 2008
 
Houston Pastors’ Council Reports Liberal Group for IRS Violation
 
 Houston, TX-Today, the Houston Area Pastors Council (HAPC), represented by the Liberty Legal Institute, sent a letter to the IRS accusing the Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) of attempting to influence elections. 

 Reverend Dave Welch, Executive Director of the Houston Area Pastors Council, states in the letter to the  IRS that the AU has attempted to “chill the speech of pastors across the country” by filing and publicizing frivolous complaints against pastors with the IRS.   

 “If Americans United really cared about ‘separation’ of church and state, they wouldn’t be so interested in having the government involved in trying to tell churches what to do and harassing pastors. I think their true partisan purpose is clear,” said Shackelford.

 A recent filing by the AU against Pastor Riggle, Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church in Houston, TX, has provoked Reverend Welch and the HAPC’s intervention.  Pastor Riggle was attacked by the AU after sending a personal endorsement letter to contacts in the Houston area supporting his friend Shelley Sekula Gibbs for public office.  Although the AU acknowledged this was a personal letter, paid for by the campaign and not the church, they proceeded to publicize accusations against Pastor Riggle. 

 “We believe that Pastor Riggle was not only acting well within his rights, but soundly in conformance to his Biblical duties.  It is not appropriate or acceptable for individuals or organizations to use threats and intimidation in an attempt to silence the church.  It is our intent to make sure that every pastor not only knows his but exercises his rights,” said Reverend Welch.

 The letter notes that AU files its complaints not after, but before elections, and then makes a public announcement as well. Non-profits are prohibited from attempting to influence candidate elections.

 “Unlike Pastor Riggle, who is a private citizen, AU is a non-profit and cannot try to influence elections,” said Kelly Shackelford, Chief Counsel for Liberty Legal Institute. 

 The letter sent today to the IRS by the HAPC requests that the IRS investigate the AU for violation against a law preventing non-profits from intervening in political campaigns.       

 Liberty Legal Institute is a legal organization committed to the defense of religious freedoms and First Amendment rights. The Institute has won a myriad of cases at the highest levels, including two landmark religious freedoms cases in 2007 alone.  For more information, visit our website at http://Liberty Legal Institute