Two scholars of nonprofits explain what is and isn’t permissible.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Johnson amendment
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Deactivating the tax provision known as the Johnson Amendment could increase the flow of dark money, reducing accountability in campaign finance.
Trump embraced evangelicals in his first year as president. Here, scholars provide historical context to how the religious right has shaped American politics over the past decades.
More than US$20 billion per year in giving is potentially at stake.
A provision in the House’s pending tax bill would let religious and secular nonprofits engage in political speech without facing a penalty.
President Trump claims that churches suffer from the over-regulation of their political speech. In reality, oversight is lax for religious groups and secular tax-exempt nonprofits alike.
The Johnson Amendment requires houses of worship to stay away from politics to receive tax exemptions. Yet, their leaders can speak out in a variety of ways that could reflect their religious views.
President Trump recently repeated his pledge to eliminate the 63-year-old law, which bans charities from engaging in political activities, at the National Prayer Breakfast.
Top contributors
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Professor of Law, University of Pittsburgh
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Professor of Practice in Public Policy, Nonprofit Organizations, and Social & Environmental Enterprises, UMass Amherst
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Professor of Accounting, The Ohio State University
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Professor of Accounting, Elon University
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Glenn Family Chair Emeritus of Economics and Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University
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Associate Professor of Public Policy, UMass Boston
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Professor of Law, Loyola University Chicago
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Associate Professor of Nonprofit Studies, George Mason University
