Did Kamala Harris Just Illegally Intervene in VA Governor Race?

Democrats have no shame in hiding their cheating ways.

The latest scandal surrounds the fierce battle for Virginia governor.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Ralph Northam is ineligible to run for re-election.

The hotly-contested race is between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin.

In an effort to sway the minority vote toward McAuliffe, VP Kamala Harris aired a video endorsement of the Democrat nominee.

The pre-recorded message was designed to air in over 300 predominantly black churches across the state of Virginia.

Harris urged congregants to place their vote for McAuliffe.

Here’s the video message:

MORE:

VP Harris implores congregants to vote following church service. The McAuliffe campaign has embraced "Souls to the Polls," block-party style events featuring top campaign surrogates after church near polling locations, to drive turnout.#VAGOVhttps://t.co/vaefXtWqUe pic.twitter.com/yGuIL6e7Fz

— Eva McKend (@evamckend) October 16, 2021

There’s one HUGE problem with this video message played during church services.

It’s an apparent violation of federal law that prohibits churches from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

With this message, VP Harris has placed the tax exempt status of over 300 predominantly black churches at jeopardy.

Or, the IRS will look the other way and not enforce the law.

Here’s what we know:

Virginia churches air Kamala Harris endorsement of Terry McAuliffe in apparent violation of federal law https://t.co/g0wAqSY5Vw

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) October 17, 2021

Vice President Kamala Harris recorded a video message to support Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe that was designed to air at morning services in more than 300 Black churches, according to reports. https://t.co/7hTm4NKBY0

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) October 17, 2021

https://twitter.com/ChuckCallesto/status/1449768080922619908

More than 300 predominantly black churches may have violated the law for using a video of Kamala Harris to push Terry McAuliffe in the VA governor race. https://t.co/VG9vV57l1N

— MRCTV (@mrctv) October 18, 2021

Kamala Harris has recorded a video endorsing Terry McAuliffe for governor of Virginia, which will be played in more than 300 Black churches.

Two things:

1) This is expressly illegal according to federal law.

2) Do they think Harris will actually help McAuliffe? pic.twitter.com/gu8Oh8fYOI

— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) October 17, 2021

The “Johnson Amendment” makes such political pitches in churches a violation of federal law. The violation occurred just days after the filing of a complaint against Jen Psaki for violating the Hatch Act to support McAullife. https://t.co/uASZBYdjLb

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) October 18, 2021

The Blaze reported:

More than 300 “black churches” across Virginia will reportedly view a pre-recorded message from Harris over the next several weeks urging them to vote for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial election.

According to CNN reporter Eva McKend, the message began airing Sunday and will be continue to be broadcasted through Nov. 2. The message “will air during morning services as part of outreach effort aimed to boost @TerryMcAuliffe,” McKend reported

In her message, Harris does not hide her endorsement of McAuliffe. Not only does she urge parishioners to “vote after today’s service,” but Harris tells church-goers that, “I know that you will send Terry McAuliffe back to Richmond.”

mrcTV weighed in on the legality of the VP’s political pitch:

There’s just one problem – the Johnson Amendment currently bans churches and other non-profits from actively participating in political campaigns for or against a political candidate or risk losing their tax-exempt status.

Which is pretty much exactly what Harris did in the video the McAuliffe campaign sent to hundreds of houses of worship as part of his “Souls to the Polls,” an effort to turn out the religious minority vote for Democrats in what’s become a close and contentious race against the Trump-endorsed Republican, Glenn Youngkin.

“I believe that my friend Terry McAuliffe is the leader Virginia needs at this moment,” Harris says in the video. “Terry McAuliffe has a long track record of getting things done for the people of Virginia.”

The grinning vice president, who publicly advocates for the killing of babies in their mothers’ wombs, detailed how she grew up singing in the choir at her childhood church, telling the congregations that it was their “sacred responsibility” to “raise their voices” and vote in Democrats on November 2.

The Johnson Amendment has been a provision of the U.S. tax code since 1954.

It prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

Churches are included in the provision.

Here’s what the IRS says:

In 1954, Congress approved an amendment by Sen. Lyndon Johnson to prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations, which includes charities and churches, from engaging in any political campaign activity. To the extent Congress has revisited the ban over the years, it has in fact strengthened the ban. The most recent change came in 1987 when Congress amended the language to clarify that the prohibition also applies to statements opposing candidates.

Currently, the law prohibits political campaign activity by charities and churches by defining a 501(c)(3) organization as one “which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.”

According to this language, it appears Kamala’s video message urging support of McAuliffe is a blatant violation of federal law.

What do you think?

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