Beto Flips on Tax Exempt Status for Churches

Press Release

BETO FLIPS ON TAX EXEMPT STATUS FOR CHURCHES

"While running for President, credibility-challenged Beto O'Rourke said he wanted to revoke the tax exempt status from churches that opposed same-sex marriage. Unsurprisingly Beto, who has made flip-flopping the cornerstone of his campaign, is now claiming he never held that view. The voters of this great state won't buy it." -- Mark Miner, Communications Director

BETO THEN WHILE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT: O'Rourke Said He Wanted To Eliminate The Tax-Exempt Status For Churches And Religious Institutions That Oppose Same-Sex Marriage. LEMON: "Do you think religious institutions -- like colleges, churches, charities -- should lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage?" O'ROURKE: "Yes. There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break, for anyone or any institution, any organization in America, that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us, and so as president, we are going to make that a priority and we are going to stop those who are infringing upon the human rights of our fellow Americans." (Patrick Svitek, "Beto O'Rourke Says Religious Institutions Should Lose Tax-Exempt Status If They Oppose Gay Marriage," Texas Tribune, 10/11/19)

BETO NOW IN RURAL TEXAS: In January O'Rourke Told The Dallas Morning News He Never Said Churches Opposed To Same Sex Marriage Should Lose Their Tax-Exempt Status. "Gov. Greg Abbott is calling attention to a comment Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke made in 2019 in which he said churches opposed to gay marriage should lose their tax exempted statuses. … "I want to make clear that I was never referring to churches that ideologically oppose same-sex marriage. The U.S. Constitution makes clear that what we believe and the way that we practice our faith within a mosque, temple, synagogue, or church is our own business, not the government's business,' O'Rourke told The Dallas Morning News in an emailed statement." (Lauren McGaughy, "Greg Abbott Blasts Beto O'Rourke For Old Comment On Tax Exemptions For Churches Against Gay Marriage," Dallas Morning News, 1/19/22)

In January O'Rourke's Spokesperson Said O'Rourke "Never" Said Churches And Religious Institutions Should Lose Their Tax-Exempt Status For Opposing Same-Sex Marriage. "Abbott was referring to O'Rourke's remarks in 2019 when, according to the Texas Tribune, he said religious institutions should lose tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage. O'Rourke's campaign reached for comment, said Abbott was lying to "distract from his failures managing the state of Texas.' They also sent a statement from Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes, the pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, endorsing O'Rourke. "Beto was never referring to churches that ideologically oppose same-sex marriage,' Spokesperson Abhi Rahman said in a statement. "The U.S. constitution makes clear that what we believe and the way that we practice our faith within a mosque, temple, synagogue, or church is our own business, not the government's business.'" (Eleanor Dearman, "Texas Governor Greg Abbott Visits Fort Worth Zoo For DFW Campaign Stop," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1/15/22)

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