This month’s likely Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage could wipe out the nonprofit status of some 25,000 religious schools and colleges in America, and Utah Sen. Mike Lee is moving fast to protect their tax-exempt status.
We need to draw lines around the power of government to protect people from the its overpowering influence: http://t.co/a7k1Zw4aQ6
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) June 5, 2015
Lee plans to introduce legislation to protect religiously affiliated institutions that oppose gay marriage after President Obama’s top lawyer warned it would become a huge issue if the court rules for same-sex marriage over the objections of many of the institutions.
Sen. Mike Lee, Utah Republican. AP Photo
“I don’t know if ‘assault’ is the right word, but I took Solicitor General [Donald] Verrilli at his word when he said in oral arguments before the court that if the definition of marriage was changed to include same-sex unions, then absolutely the nonprofit status of many religious institutions would be at risk,” the Republican told Secrets.
Faced with losing money, many of the threatened institutions said it’s not a tough choice. “We will not jettison our convictions for any tax benefit,” said Samuel Oliver, president of Tennessee’s Union University.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
