U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries visited three black churches over the weekend to convince the congregants to give up their political voting power under Proposition 50.
Jeffries visited First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles in West Adams, Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in South L.A. and Resurrection Church of Los Angeles in Carson.
This summer, the Internal Revenue Service says it will allow houses of worship to endorse candidates for political office without losing their tax-exempt status.
Since 1954, a provision in the tax code called the Johnson Amendment says that churches and other nonprofit organizations could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate in, or intervene in “any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed California temporarily circumvent its independent redistricting commission, led by 14 citizens, to redraw the state’s maps to try to add five Democratic seats, in effect canceling out Texas’ move.
The Democratic-controlled state Legislature quickly produced redrawn maps and scheduled a Nov. 4 special election to put them up for a vote. Mail-in ballots are already in the hands of voters.
Read the full story on Jeffries “Black LA” tour here.