December 3, 1998 | Read Time: 1 minute
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the I.R.S. to investigate the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore after the church hosted what the watchdog group said appeared to be a “Democratic Party rally” during a Sunday worship service attended by President Clinton just before Election Day. Under the law, churches and charities must not participate in a political campaign in behalf of, or in opposition to, a candidate for public office.
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, wrote the I.R.S. that President Clinton sought to increase Democratic voter turnout by his visit. The President was quoted in news accounts as heralding the achievements of Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening, who attended the service along with other Democratic candidates. Mr. Lynn also cited news reports that the church pastor, the Rev. Walter Thomas, told the congregation that the election was “a spiritual war” and that church members should “quit rolling over and playing dead.”
In his letter to the I.R.S., Mr. Lynn said, “At a minimum, this church-hosted event appears to be an endorsement of one political party and its candidates” and would seem to violate federal law that “forbids churches to participate in partisan political activity either directly or indirectly.”
Edward Smith, Jr., a lawyer for the predominantly black New Psalmist church, said that the church did nothing wrong, and noted that Republican candidates were also invited to the service.
“The pastor never endorsed anyone, he was very careful in his sermon,” said Mr. Smith. “And the President didn’t endorse anyone, unless he ‘endorsed’ Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, and I would think that if they have a problem with that, they have a big problem.”
