PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES CRITICIZE TRUMP’S “RELIGIOUS FREEDOM” EXECUTIVE ORDER
“Relaxing enforcement of the Johnson Amendment allows dark money and secret donors to manipulate charities for partisan political purposes, tax free”
Washington, DC – In response to President Trump’s troubling executive order this morning directing the IRS to limit enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, the provision in the US tax code that prevents charitable organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates, the Patriotic Millionaires’ Chair released the following official statement:
“President Trump’s executive order only further damages the foundations of our already fragile democracy. The Johnson Amendment keeps charities and churches nonpartisan, and choosing not to enforce it will allow dark money and secret donors to manipulate charities for partisan political purposes, tax free. Citizens United – allowing the wealthy to spend whatever they want on politics – is no longer enough for Republicans. Now they want unlimited funds for politics to be tax deductible, making American taxpayers subsidize the politics of the rich while they drag charities and churches down into the political fray,” said Patriotic Millionaires’ Chair Morris Pearl, former Managing Director BlackRock, Inc.
To schedule an interview or for further comment, please contact Kelsea-Marie at kpym@patrioticmillionaires.org.
About the Patriotic Millionaires
The Patriotic Millionaires is a group of 200 high-net-worth Americans who are committed to building a more prosperous, stable, and inclusive nation. The group focuses on promoting public policy solutions that encourage political equality; guarantee a sustaining wage for working Americans; and ensure that millionaires, billionaires, and corporations pay a greater percentage of taxes. You can find out more at https://patrioticmillionaires.org/about/
The Patriotic Millionaires have appeared on hundreds of media outlets here and abroad, including The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the PBS NewsHour, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and many others. You can find more coverage at https://patrioticmillionaires.org/media