Opinion | Holiday Charitable Giving Can Raise Thorny Questions - The New York Times

I began thinking about this after I received an email from a psychology professor, Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, criticizing what he called "the capitalist system of charities in the U.S.A." He wrote that charities are "competing to the death for the same 50 cents."

"Thus," he went on, "hundreds of organizations fight hunger locally and nationally. When it comes to illnesses, there are thousands of organizations competing. This means a terrible waste of resources." He recommended that I look at Germany, where the government performs functions that charities perform in the United States...

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/opinion/philanthropy-charitable-giving-holiday.html

NRA investigation widens as the New York attorney general delivers new subpoena

Late in the day on Monday, New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued a new subpoena in her investigation of the National Rifle Association. This is the latest turn in a months-long investigation of the nonprofit Second Amendment organization. The New York Times reports that sources who have “knowledge of the document” say that it covers areas of investigation ranging from the NRA’s tax compliance, the use of their charities to move money about, campaign financing, and monies paid out to NRA board members.....
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/12/10/1904719/-NRA-investigation-widens-as-the-New-York-attorney-general-drops-new-subpoena

From Faith to Freethought (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio)

We report on FFRF’s perfect score from Charity Navigator (and on the low score of the Catholic League, which is continuing its unfounded attacks on us). We play a shocking audio clip of prosperity evangelist Paula White, just promoted by Trump to a federally paid faith job at the White House, consecrating the White House for Jesus. We report that a federal employee was “Penced” for opposing the vice president’s raid of USAID funds to go to favored Christian groups. After reciting some egregious state/church violations our legal team is fighting, we interview Megan Phelps-Roper, granddaughter of Fred Phelps, and the author of a poignant new book, Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church.
Interview:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/freethought-radio/e/65134323

House votes to prevent IRS from punishing churches engaging in politics - POLITICO

"It's now impossible for Congress and the White House to deny their objective: to politicize the trusted charitable nonprofit community by authorizing unlimited, unfettered and untraceable political money to flow through the nonprofit sector to benefit partisan special interests," said Tim Delaney, head of the National Council of Nonprofits.....

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/19/house-irs-churches-candidates-politics-698319

Charities Can Reject Foster Parents for Immigrant Kids Over Religion

A major Christian nonprofit taking care of undocumented children said caregivers ‘must attend a Christian church.’ It’s not the only one—and it’s legal.....

https://www.thedailybeast.com/charities-can-reject-foster-parents-for-immigrant-kids-over-religion

Religions condemn family separations but are their charities helping implement them? - ThinkProgress.org

The Trump administration's policy of separating immigrating families at the border and putting babies and children into detention facilities as "unaccompanied" has drawn virtually universal condemnation from the leaders of almost every American religion. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the policy change on April 6, and since then, thousands of children have been torn from their parents,...
https://thinkprogress.org/religions-condemn-family-separations-but-are-their-charities-helping-implement-them-b2d28ef1179f/

New York budget deal aims to reject GOP tax law - The Hill

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced a state budget deal on Friday that aims to curb the impacts of the Republican-led tax overhaul on New Yorkers. The proposed workarounds come months after President Trump signed the new federal tax bill into law. ...
http://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/381095-new-york-budget-deal-aims-to-reject-gop-tax-law

Setting the record straight on charities and political speech | TheHill

There’s a core American belief that just about everyone agrees with regardless of political stripes: People employed to serve the public good should not, in their official capacity, endorse or oppose candidates for public office. That core belief, long codified in federal and state laws, holds true for all public servants, whether they are government employees or representatives of charitable nonprofits, houses of worship, or foundations. Yet, some in Congress are seeking to repeal or weaken this important taxpayer protection in the omnibus spending bill.....

http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/378439-taxpayers-should-never-have-to-subsidize-speech-by-politicians

Battle rages over tax rules for churches | TheHill

Proponents of rolling back IRS restrictions on churches and charities aren’t giving up despite their failure to secure a provision in tax-reform legislation.....
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/365527-battle-rages-over-tax-rules-for-churches

Tax bill: 'Johnson Amendment' repeal could cost more than $1 billion

A provision in the tax bill to allow churches to be more directly engaged in politics could cost the U.S. government hundreds of millions of dollars, congressional experts say, because some political donors would shift their money to tax-exempt charities....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/10/tax-bills-repeal-johnson-amendment-could-cost-taxpayers-more-than-1-billion/852554001/