IRS ends 70-year gag rule, says churches can now endorse political candidates

A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building in downtown Washington, D.C. / Credit: Rob Crandall/Shutterstock CNA Staff, Jul 8, 2025 / 13:54 pm (CNA). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) this week backed off a decades-old rule first established during the Eisenhower administration, declaring for the first time since the 1950s that churches and other nonprofits can openly endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status. The order resolves a lawsuit launched in August 2024 by a coalition of religious…