End Citizens United (ECU) President Tiffany Muller released the following statement on reports that the Senate parliamentarian blocked a provision to repeal the Johnson Amendment from the tax bill. The provision was not primarily fiscal in nature and did not qualify for the reconciliation process the Republicans are using to force through the tax bill. The Johnson Amendment is a crucial law that prevents political mega-donors from using churches and charities to funnel money into campaigns. Repealing it could not only turn churches and other houses of worship into a clearinghouse for secret political “dark” money, but would also make those donations tax deductible.
“Republicans failed in their attempt to try to ram through a tax subsidy for mega-donors who make secret political donations. It is nothing more than a cynical giveaway to their top donors paid for by the American people. That’s good news, but we know they’re already scheming to find a new way sneak this measure through Congress. Our members will continue to fight back at every step. Americans deserve to know who is trying to buy their votes, and they certainly shouldn’t pay for special interests to make political contributions.”
End Citizens United has been a leading voice against the repeal of the Johnson Amendment since candidate Donald Trump called for its repeal. End Citizens United’s grassroots members, in coordination with a coalition of government reform groups, nonprofits, and faith based organizations, waged an intense campaign in opposition to repeal. More than 20,000 members contacted their representatives in Congress through phone calls, emails, and petitions.
ECU has announced that it will raise and spend $35 million from small-dollar donors this cycle to defeat politicians who do the bidding of their special interest donors and to elect champions of reform.