Trump Admin Plot SHUTDOWN by Trump Judge
April 17, 2026
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9:20Now PlayingTrump Admin Plot SHUTDOWN by Trump Judge
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as posted by the channelAttorneys Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian break down the federal court ruling that killed the Trump administration's attempt to gut the Johnson Amendment — the 1954 tax code provision that bars churches from endorsing political candidates in exchange for their tax-exempt status. The playbook was familiar: the administration revived a lawsuit the Biden DOJ had tried to dismiss, sided with the plaintiffs — two Texas churches and the National Religious Broadcasters — and asked a judge to approve a pre-baked consent judgment in which the IRS agreed not to enforce the ban. Judge J. Campbell Barker, a Trump appointee from his first term, said no. He didn't even reach the merits. He ruled that courts cannot approve settlements that effectively block future tax collection, citing the Tax Anti-Injunction Act. You want to change the tax code? Go to Congress. Brian and Shant connect the ruling to the broader Christian nationalist push — including Hegseth's pastor calling for a Senate candidate to be "crucified" — and explain why the administration is desperate to unleash megachurch endorsements ahead of the midterms. Americans United for Separation of Church and State called the Johnson Amendment "a strong bulwark to stop religious extremists from exploiting houses of worship." The National Religious Broadcasters plans to appeal.
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