Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke sworn Thursday night to end the tax-exempt status of churches and religious organizations that do battle with same-sex marriage if he’s nominated, saying it’s an obligatory step to promote human rights.
O’Rourke, a former U.S. representative from Texas, made the commentaries during CNN’s town hall on LGBT issues. Eight other contenders participated, although only O’Rourke and Sen. Cory Booker were the only ones asked the tax-exempt question.
Though Booker refused to endorse the pulling of churches’ tax-exempt status, O’Rourke swiftly embraced it.
O’Rourke was asked, “Do you think religious organizations, like colleges, churches [and] charities – should they lose their tax-exempt status if they clash with same-sex marriage?”
“Yes,” O’Rourke said to applause. “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. So, as president, we’re going to make that a priority and we’re going to stopover those who are invading upon the human rights of our fellow Americans.”
Booker said there “has to be penalties for discrimination” but didn’t go as far as O’Rourke did.
“I’m not skirting your question,” Booker said. “I’m saying I believe primarily that discrimination is discrimination. And if you are using your place to try to separate others, there must be costs to that. And I will make sure to hold them responsible for using the DOJ or whatever investigatory. You cannot discriminate.”
O’Rourke’s proposal flickered plenty of reaction among Christians, traditionalists, and libertarians.
Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, called it “extremist and oppressive.”
“Aside from being grossly illiberal, anti-pluralist, and inflammatory, O’Rourke’s publicized policy is also unconstitutional under current Supreme Court precedent,” Olson wrote at Cato’s website. He quoted Eugene Volokh, who before said the law court had made clear that “tax exemptions can’t be denied based on the viewpoint that a group communicates.”
Thomas S. Kinn, a professor of history at Baylor University, said O’Rourke’s proposal would have an extensive influence if applied.
“Just think of all the groups whose tax exemptions Beto would have to withdraw!” Kidd tweeted. “Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Mormons, evangelicals, African American Protestants, Muslims, Pentecostals, traditional Jews…Methodists (for heaven’s sake, Methodists!!!).”
Hershael York, a dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, also criticized O’Rourke.
“So @BetoORourke doesn’t care how many people you feed, clothe, educate, protect, shelter, serve, or save,” York tweeted, “… if you don’t bow to the sexual revolution, the government will make you pay for having a conscience. First Amendment notwithstanding.”
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Thank you AG News and Michael Foust for sharing this.
