Trump to Sign Executive Order ‘Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty’ to Weaken Johnson Amendment

• Executive Order Will Allow Churches to Campaign for Political Candidates

• Could Turn Megachurches into Super PACs

 

President Donald Trump on Thursday will sign an executive order “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty,” which will direct the IRS to exercise maximum discretion in enforcing tax laws for religious organizations, including churches, under the Johnson Amendment, a senior White House official told NCRM Wednesday night.

The executive order states it is the policy of the Trump administration to protect and promote religious liberty. It is designed to provide what the White House calls regulatory relief for religious organizations, like the Little Sisters of the Poor, whom the Trump White House says were “persecuted” by the Obama administration.

The order will make it easier for churches and religious non-profits to campaign for or against political candidates and for churches and religious organizations to non-profit organizations to deny certain health coverage, including abortion and contraception, for religious reasons. Campaigning for candidates is currently illegal under the Johnson Amendment. 

That senior White House official described Thursday’s signing as President Trump fulfilling his campaign promises, and added that the President would not sign any additional executive orders Thursday – presumably meaning he would not sign the executive order anticipated by LGBT organizations that would make moot President Barack Obama’s protections for LGBT workers. A draft of that executive order also enables anti-LGBT discrimination across a wide swath of areas, for people and organizations who oppose same-sex marriage and abortion.

The White House says it is not expecting any legal challenges to the executive order, and repeatedly insisted they are not changing any laws.

Republicans sued President Barack Obama for a memorandum he signed in late 2014 ordering maximum discretion in deportations in an attempt to keep families together. 

To comment on this article and other NCRM content, visit our Facebook page.

This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.