Yeah this is legally questionable…
Forget legal for a moment, this is totally unethical, for Steele and the pastors involved. Steele (who is, sadly, a Democrat) has long had ethical baggage coming out of his ears, but charging $50 a ticket to a prayer breakfast to raise money for your campaign is pretty sleazy.
Word to the wise to those three pastors on the invite. Might want to be careful about being involved with this. You wouldn’t want to see your church’s 501(c)3 tax-exempt status put at risk.
Update: Responding to some whining in the comments here. Pursuant to IRS rules, churches as tax exempt organizations have to avoid certain political activities. It’s all part of maintaining that important separation of church and state. While the pastors here have not crossed that line that the IRS rules lay out by being a part of this fundraiser dressed up as a prayer breakfast, I would again advise them to tread carefully as this certainly doesn’t look good.
In response to some of the comments, what is wrong with people “getting together and praying for a better world” is that they’re making a fifty dollar contribution to a candidate for office in order to do it, and yes, I do find politicians manipulating faith for dollars and political gain, no matter who it is done by, to be “sleazy”.
Why is this unethical? If I’m not mistaken, these pastors called for this Prayer Breakfast with Representative Steele. How is this putting the 501(c)3 status at risk? Many pastors have endorsed Presidential Candidates have they not? You might just want to check out some of your information before posting a comment about this not being ethical.
And Sleezy? really? Who even uses that word any more?
Not unethical, and Not Illegal. Pastors can endorse a Dog for President if they want as long as they arent doing it from their Church’s Pulpit. Read the 501(c)3 Laws before making accusations you cant back up. For crying out loud. I LOVE the fact that these guys got so many people together in the middle of the week for a couple hours of praying for the country, State, County, And City. As Blue folks arent we supposed to be the one taking the high road on religion anyway? What kind of message are you trying to put out here?
Tracy Steele did NOT organize this event. It was a group of people who are tired of the current administration in NLR and want a change that Joe Smith nor any other candidate will bring. A vote for Joe Smith is a vote for the same lame stuff we’ve put up with in NLR for 24 years. Horrible roads, flooded neighborhoods, underfunded,, understaffed, and under equipped Police and Fire Depts. Among other things.
Ya know its crap like this right here that your putting out that gives people like me a bad name.
I would use the word Sleazy. But only to describe this post right here. Who in their right mind would be against 300+ people getting together and praying for a better world? I just cant understand the logic. Oh wait Logic left town with Common sense in tow…
I just re-read this and I’m upset now that I see you said “…Steele (who is, sadly, a Democrat) …
Again, Really? Do you even have a clue? I’m a Republican and I’m upset at this post. I don’t have a clue who you are personally, but you might want to do a little homework before posting comments like this on a pro-democrat site
In my part of the woods you’d call this cutting off your own leg to get out of the trap.
For a minute there I thought I was on the Rush Limbaugh Blog with posts like this one. You guys call yourself Democrats, and you bash another Democrat? Wow No wonder the Repubs are taking over everything.
“Blue Arkansas is by committed progressive activists . . . ” If bashing Steele is evidence of your “commitment” to progressives, I should quit reading this site. It is somewhat obvious that you are committed to the status quo (aka Joe Smith). What you’ve demonstrated here is NOT “loyalty is to progressive values, issues, and policy and not to any individual candidate or organization. Support or opposition to a candidate in one election does not mean support or opposition in another, but all must earn that support and will be held accountable when they are wrong. We are progressives and support the most progressive candidates possible, but we are not ideologues and will support moderate or conservative leaning candidates when we feel that doing so is in the larger interests of the progressive movement. We are also Democrats, and will work to advance the progressive cause through the Democratic party and not a third party, but simply having a “D” after the name on the ballot is not a guarantee of our active support.”
This activity is in no way illegal, sleazy, nor without merit; many Democrats constantly face being the party of “no religion” and, for once, a Dem does something to mitigate this message and you blast him. For God’s sake it is politics.
You should retract the force of your message and even issue an apology to Mr. Steele and the Pastor’s to whom you’ve insulted.
I believe your hyperbole on this matter insinuates a hidden bias perhaps? Or, was it truly a slow day and you hadn’t slept in awhile; whichever, fess up with an apology as you are out of bounds on this one. If not, then we know just how “progressive” you guys really are (LOL).
Our Goals:
Blue Arkansas seeks to-
-build an online, active, progressive community in Arkansas that can use the site to gain information, network, and share ideas.
-grow the progressive movement in Arkansas and advance progressive ideas, causes, and legislation through activism.
-move the Democratic party in a progressive direction and use the party as a vehicle of change.
-rebut right wing talking points and narratives.
-contribute to change of the political culture through the advancement of progressive frames.
Personally, I don’t like it. Attending prayer services and other events is fine, but raising money from it? Just doesn’t feel right. As a Christian, I want our political leaders to pray and be active in church. But I don’t want them to use their faith as a vehicle to raise funds.
I don’t think there are any laws against what Mr. Steele is doing. And I don’t think the IRS would revoke a church’s 501(c)3 status for this sort of activity (maybe if it were held in the church, but it wasn’t).
If the event were free of charge, and Mr. Steele was simply accepting donations, I would be more comfortable with it. But selling tickets? Nope. Doesn’t pass the “sniff” test to me. But to each his own, right? That’s what makes campaigns interesting – seeing how the candidates operate and implement strategy. Maybe this worked out well for Mr. Steele. Can you get some info on how many people were there? Or how much money was raised? I’d be interested to see if this was a successful event.
Knowing a little of the history of nations one has to realize that “people are”;
and since ‘they is’… be it the dot on the map or bigger with a city square or
better yet a county seat and especially here in Arkansas where we
Herold ‘the people rule’… then I stand to say ‘Assemble’…pray and pray
some more!
Thank the good Lord for these men who stand to say “We hold these
truth’s to be self evident”…as the ol’petition for redress: starts out addressed
to a corrupted monarch. Let the truth be know again today… It is a timeless
call for the separation from as well as (and greater truth of more people
than you obviously realize) a separation towards and to our Lord God with
the demonstration of our collective lower lights (that is code for
politically active men, women and young adult Christan soldiers as
statesmen) shinning into the darkness of the political spiritual wickedness
that has been crippling our neighborhoods, counties and this southern state
and the states of the collective south… by the very unsavory Federalism
of the DC GANG AKA both sides of aisle in the shadow of the Obelisk.
It’s time to stand and pass the hat no matter what color of law, despotic
and tyrannical rule might imply…especially since these on the brochure are
sure to be ‘Endowed’ by the very Creator Himself…
be advised: you don’t mess with Providence
because only the fool says it ain’t so…..
There is a separation of church and state there is NO separation of prayer and state.
The people who lead the church have the same freedoms you have outside the church.
“You should retract the force of your message and even issue an apology to Mr. Steele and the Pastor’s to whom you’ve insulted.”
I couldnt agree more
Believe me, ya’ll don’t want the “apology” I would offer to this huckster.