October 16, 2009
Courthouse News Service, a news service for lawyers, reports that a federal judge has rule that San Diego-based Catholic Answers can't sue the IRS.
After Catholic Answers posted an e-letter calling 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry a "notorious sinner," the Internal Revenue Service deemed it an "act of political intervention," something prohibited for tax-exempt organizations.
Catholic Answers had to pay $831.41 in tax plus interest. Catholic Answers paid up, but then appealed. The IRS eventually abated the tax and refunded the money, but then Catholic Answers sued.
A federal judge in San Diego today granted the government's motion to dismiss the suit, saying because it had received a full refund, Catholic Answer's claims were moot.
