Will you be sending the IRS after them?

The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.;

Recently you requested that the Internal Revenue Service investigate MCRI-supporter Ward Connerly. To many citizens in Michigan, this appeared to be a blatant attempt to silence an American with whom you disagree. On the other hand, your request may have been based on legitimate concerns over someone violating the laws of this country.

On September 12th, a number of tax-exempt religious organizations announced their opposition to the MCRI and encouraged their members to oppose it. This may be in violation of tax laws.

While the laws allow religious organizations to support or oppose ballot proposals, this lobbying is limited to those proposals that further their exempt purposes. The MCRI applies solely to public employment, contracts, and education. Nothing in the proposal would affect the religious sector. In fact, the Catholic Church will be able to continue to deny women a role in church leadership and Islamic clerics can continue to advocate that women be treated as second-class citizens.

Given this questionable involvement by various religious organizations, I wonder if you will be requesting an IRS investigation.

[Email to Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). Sent 09/13/2006.]