Author: Kate Lipman

Is the Johnson Amendment Constitutional?

in Analysis, Federal Legislation, Legislation in Court, Lobbying

My previous Dome blog entry discussed the Johnson Amendment and the fight that has surrounded the amendment since its creation in the 1950s. The Johnson Amendment was added to Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code by then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson to limit the political activity of 501(c)(3) organizations. The Amendment prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from […]

Tagged: Boston University Law School, Boston University School of Law, BU Law, Congress, First Amendment, Free Speech, Free Speech Fairness Act, IRS, Johnson Amendment, Religious organizations

Time to Hang up the Boxing Gloves? The Fight Over the Johnson Amendment

in Analysis, Federal Legislation, Lobbying

Most Americans have never heard of the Johnson Amendment, never mind the nearly 70 year legal and political battle over its meaning and reach. What is the Johnson Amendment, and why is it so important to so many organizations that they have been either trying to protect or destroy it for decades? This post will […]

Tagged: 501(c)(3), Boston University, Boston University Law School, Boston University School of Law, Free Speech, Free Speech Fairness Act, IRS, Johnson Amendment