Illegal political activity by another 501(C)(3) non-profit group

As I noted, I have complained to the IRS that Wikipedia is violating its 501(C)(3) non-profit organization tax status by blocking rebuttals of political attacks against public-election candidate Cheri Yecke on her Wikipedia bio. Here is a news story about another violation of the 501(C)(3) rule against political activity:

Wiley S. Drake, a Buena Park pastor and a former national leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, called on his followers to pray for the deaths of two leaders of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The request was in response to the liberal group's urging the IRS on Tuesday to investigate Drake's church's nonprofit status because Drake endorsed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for president on church letterhead and during a church-affiliated Internet radio show.

Drake said Wednesday he was "simply doing what God told me to do" by targeting Americans United officials Joe Conn and Jeremy Leaming, whom he calls the "enemies of God."

"God says to pray imprecatory prayer against people who attack God's church," he said. "The Bible says that if anybody attacks God's people, David said this is what will happen to them. . . . Children will become orphans and wives will become widows" . . . .

. . . .In 2006, Drake received a stern warning from the group's top lawyer for creating a Southern Baptist Convention letterhead and using it to endorse Republican Dick Mountjoy of California in his unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate.

Drake confirmed Wednesday that he endorsed Huckabee for president Aug. 11 in a news release on church letterhead, and on his radio show Aug. 13. But he said those statements should not jeopardize the church's nonprofit status . . . .

. . . .As tax-exempt organizations, churches are barred from campaigning for candidates. The IRS has previously investigated churches for perceived political activity. A sermon before the 2004 presidential election by a former rector at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena prompted an IRS probe that is unresolved.

So the IRS does take these 501(C)(3) violations seriously.