On Sunday, tax-exempt mega church The Anchorage Baptist Temple held a “Get Out the Vote Rally” featuring several high-profile Republican candidates.
It was a highly political afternoon for a 501(c)3 church which cannot endorse candidates, make political contributions, urge congregants to vote for or against a candidate, or allow political campaign materials on their property.
Despite that, the rally was attended by U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka, U.S. House candidates Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III, and several Republican candidates for state legislature, all of whom were given a platform for a political speech two days before the election. Even Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who has repeatedly said he is too busy to attend debates against his challengers, found time to show up and address the attendees.
The candidates took the stage in front of a backdrop with the Alaska Republican Party logo and a declaration to “rank the red.”
Candidates, like Forrest ‘Jay’ McDonald used the platform to espouse highly partisan political propaganda such as that the opposition wants public schools to aid children in transitioning their gender identity and have zero restrictions on abortions.
Jay McDonald, candidate for D12 South Anchorage, propagandizing to the base, about transitioning in schools and abortion, at the Republican rally held at the Anchorage Baptist Temple. pic.twitter.com/rUBSTDrNYz
— AKroadweed (@AKroadweed) November 7, 2022
Candidate Dan Sadler referenced being in attendance to the earlier Anchorage Baptist Temple sermon, which he said centered on supporting pro-life candidates to office.
Begich proclaimed that Alaska is a red state where Democrats have no business being in office, despite a Democrat beating him in an election three months ago.
Begich and Palin played nice, saying each others’ supporters should rank the other second, while Tschibaka held up a large sign showing how to rank her, and only her.
Kelly Tshibaka making sure that everyone at the Republican rally held at Anchorage Baptist Temple knows how she wants them to vote. If you rank anyone but her, “you are just spending more time in the ballot box.” pic.twitter.com/wiPaZl8blL
— AKroadweed (@AKroadweed) November 7, 2022
Despite IRS restrictions on election-related activity by 501(c)3 organizations, the Anchorage Baptist Temple has a history of pushing such boundaries. A year ago, former Anchorage Baptist Temple pastor Jerry Prevo was recorded openly explaining how he engages in electoral activities.
“For 30 years, I’ve known how to handle that and not get into trouble. The homosexual community has tried to take me down for at least 30 years, and they have not been successful because I know how to work the 501c3,” Prevo told a Liberty University official.
Prevo replaced Jerry Falwell Jr. as president of Liberty University in 2020, and was recorded urging university officials to become more political and work to get more people elected.
A recent project by the Texas Tribune and ProPublica found churches are increasingly breaking the law to endorse candidates or otherwise promote them, while the IRS continues to look the other way.
Today, the partnership published their latest findings, which include a violation from Unite Church in Anchorage, where pastor Josh Tanner endorsed Tshibaka in front of his congregation while at the same time claiming it wasn’t an endorsement.
“OK, so I want you to know that we’re not just gonna be doing an endorsement for Kelly today, even though I am endorsing Kelly for U.S. Senate,” Tanner said, the article reported. “And you can vote for whoever you want. I’m just letting you know who I’m voting for. It’s gonna be her.”
