A reader notes Sen. Jason Rapert’s plea for contributions to his Holy Ghost Ministries, a tax-exempt nonprofit, so that he may continue “speaking out.” You are familiar, of course, with Rapert speaking out. Nonprofits may not engage in partisan political activity and retain their tax-exempt status. It becomes a cloudier issue if a nonprofit’s expenditures go to support a highly partisan Republican senator speaking out on issues that are tied up with his legislative activities — anti-abortion, anti-gay, etc.
Holy Ghost Ministries’ on-line mission statement says nothing about providing a means for Rapert to “speak out.”
Holy Ghost Ministries is a 501(c)3 tax exempt non-profit organization involved in Christian ministry, leadership training, missions and humanitarian projects in the United States, Africa, The Philippines and throughout the world.
The donation link on his website speaks of support for toy, medicine and water project expenditures in Africa, not enabling Rapert to speak out.
Rapert has refused my past requests for a detailed accounting of how Holy Ghost money is spent.
The organization’s most recent federal tax report on file is for 2012. It showed $34,000 in revenue and $31,000 in expenses. The breakdown of spending is in general categories, with more than $27,000 said to have gone to “ministry expenses.”
The report said its work was humanitarian projects in Uganda, Ghana and the Philippines. The report says the organization does not participate in direct “or indirect” political campaign activities on behalf of a candidate for public office.