Churches must invite all political parties

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama recently participated in a forum at Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church.

Third parties were left out in the cold. According to the Internal Revenue Service code, tax-exempt not-for-profits "are prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office"

Citing this law, Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr filed an injunction against Saddleback Church claiming that Saddleback's failure to provide this equivalent opportunity was a violation of election law.

While some would argue that a church is a private institution and is therefore free to invite whomever it chooses, the law is clear that not-for-profits must provide "an equal opportunity to political candidates seeking the same office."

Saddleback Church certainly did present an equal opportunity to the Republican and Democratic parties, but did not do so for parties such as the Libertarian Party and Green Party.

Rather than upholding the law, the judge hearing the case ruled that, "(third parties) will lose out on a fair amount of exposure and the opportunity to express their views in a popular forum ... On the other hand, halting this event would deny the other candidates the opportunity to be heard and would deprive the public of an opportunity to see the candidates."

Does anyone actually believe that enforcement of the law would prevent McCain and Obama from being heard?

Josh Hanson

DuPage Coordinator, Bob Barr campaign

Wheaton