I Prayed have prayed
Lord, we pray that government agents would not be allowed to license or curtail fundamental First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, or association.

Should state agents be able to demand an organization’s donor list? Does that chill First Amendment freedoms? Those are key questions in a case coming to the U.S. Supreme Court next month.

The high court announced last week that it would hear the cases of two organizations — Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) — in a joint proceeding on April 26. Both conservative organizations are challenging a mandate from the California Attorney General’s office requiring disclosure of confidential information about major givers.

At issue is a form called Schedule B that nonprofits are required to file with the IRS annually. On that document are names, addresses, and gift amounts for donors contributing $5,000 or more in a year. The raw data of those forms are generally not open to public inspection.

In addition to the federal government, states also conduct oversight over charities as a way to combat fraudulent activities. While most do not require such in depth donor information from every organization, California has blazed a different path. Roughly ten years ago the state’s attorney general, Kamala Harris, began to enforce a rule that any charity wishing to solicit donations there must turn over unredacted Schedule B’s.

(Editor’s note: In the current cancel culture, can you see how making public the donors of nonprofit organizations could be used and misused?)

AFP and TMLC were among several organizations that cried foul. They worried that exposing their supporters in this way would threaten their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of speech and association. And those concerns were only exasperated when California officials repeatedly failed to properly secure the information they demanded.

Earlier this year John Bursch, a senior counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom (which is representing TMLC), declared, “The fact that California leaks confidential records like a sieve makes mandatory disclosure of sensitive information especially dangerous for donors and employees of nonprofits like Thomas More Law Center, who have faced intimidation, death threats, hate mail, boycotts, and even assassination attempts from ideological opponents.”

Bursch added, “Every American should be free to support causes they believe in without fear of harassment or intimidation.”

It’s notable that AFP actually won an injunction against the California mandate in 2016 when a federal court found the evidence “abundantly clear” that “the Attorney General has systematically failed to maintain the confidentiality of Schedule B forms.” That district court was also convinced California did not actually really need the Schedule B data and, regardless, the state’s demand had burdened AFP’s First Amendment rights. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals saw things differently, however, and overruled the lower court.

Now at the nation’s highest court, the stakes are high. And, notably, organizations from across the ideological spectrum are weighing in against what they believe to be California’s dangerous overreach. Groups as diverse as Concerned Women for America, Judicial Watch, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Philanthropy Roundtable, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the ACLU have all come out on AFP and TMLC’s side in this particular case. So has U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

But perhaps among the most noteworthy expressions of support comes from the NAACP, which won a Supreme Court battle against Alabama in 1958 when that state attempted to force the disclosure of its members. The applicability of that landmark ruling to this situation is at the very heart of the case, and clearly the NAACP thinks California has gone too far. In its brief, the group says the Golden State’s mandate “risks undermining the freedom to associate for expressive purposes…. A critical corollary of the freedom to associate is the right to maintain the confidentiality of one’s associations, absent a strong governmental interest in disclosure.”

The resolution of this case needs your prayers. How the justices come down on California’s Schedule B mandate will likely have significant repercussions. While only two other states (New York and New Jersey) have so far started down the same path, a stamp of approval could lead more to follow suit.

How will you pray for your freedom of association to be defended?

 

Aaron Mercer is a Contributing Writer with two decades of experience in Washington, D.C.s public policy arena. He reflects on faith, technology, and the public square at FTPolicy.com. Picture Credit: White House Flickr.

 

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CB
April 8, 2021

Even as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we often lose sight of the fact that the battle is purely spiritual, manifested in the physical. Lord God, if it is your will, release any restraints on your warriors so they may have fast and complete victory in this situation.

Lorraine Casanelli
March 24, 2021

There is no good reason why government officials should have access to the personal information of donors who are US citizens. Father God, we are asking you to he;p us prevent this government overreach by intervening in the hearts of those who would tear down our republic. Give us wisdom to know how to deal with all the things going on that seem to threaten our way of life in this country that You established. In the precious name of Jesus we pray.

3
Pamela Cameron
March 21, 2021

Dear Lord,
I humbly pray that You will grant godly wisdom to the individuals who will be presiding over this case. Please protect us, your children, from the evil schemes of the wicked one and his followers.

In Christ’s name,
Amen

16
Sharon King
March 21, 2021

Father God of Truth, Grace, Mercy, and Light; bestow Yourself fully! May those who hid their wrongdoings be brought into transparency. May Your guiding hand be upon those who need Your wisdom in order to bring justice and fairness for ALL.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

7
CN
March 21, 2021

If it generated in anyway, shape or form from Kamala Harris, it’s a trojan horse.
I pray she will have a change of heart and that true salvation in Christ will find her. But until then, she simply cannot be trusted based on her history.
Lord, we see problems with this “carefully worded legislation” that is proposed. And when certain groups that publicly back it, that sends up many red flags. We pray and ask this legislation to be defeated. Amen.

17
Sharleen Wilkens
March 20, 2021

Our Father in heaven and all earth. I ask that for your ways to come and work in this pursuit of giving monies. May you give all the justices wisdom as to know how to rule on this.

In Yeshua, amen

19
Sara G
March 20, 2021

Father God, even before we ask for You to intervene please forgive us of our sins, this nation continues to be in rebellion against You and Your word, be merciful to us, we are not deserving of Your compassion, mercy and grace, Yet You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for ALL mankind, at this time the desire of my heart is for You to remove the stony hearts of those that are lost and in need of Your mercy and grace, no one is beyond Your saving grace, if it is Your will, I humbly ask for You to reveal Yourself in a mighty way, that the folks reviewing this case would be touched by Your healing hand to give them understanding,…to proceed according to Your will not ours. Yours is the power, the glory and dominion forever. In Your Precious & Mighty name..Jesus…Amen…so be it.

29
Lorraine M Tetreault
March 20, 2021

Father in the name of Jesus please let this law or bill be cut down quickly. We are a country of freedom and I decree that this will not stand as we are a people who trust in God and give willingly. This should not be able to be shown all over to different people. I thank you that you have given us a heart to give and we will give even without a bill or law. So Lord I decree that the hearts of the people hearing this bill will strike it down. Their hearts will be for our freedom and the people. Thank you Lord for answered prayer. I praise you and exalt you Lord. You alone are Holy. We praise you and thank you Lord.

39
Vickie
March 20, 2021

Dear Lord. please protect the privacy of people who want to donate. I pray that governmental agents would not be allowed to license or curtail First Amendment freedoms of religion and speech. In Jesus name, Amen.

41
Kathy
March 20, 2021

Didn’t some people in office use businesses in Canada funnel foreign monies to them so they didn’t have to reveal from whom that money came but yet members of that party are demanding just the opposite in state government? Very interesting… May God’s hand be on the US Supreme Court to stand up for our true constitutional rights! Oh God we need a powerful revival across our nation. IJN Amen.

44
Nancy Berkey
March 20, 2021

Father God we also pray that you please remove these imposter politicians from 9ffide who r trying to Lord it over the population.In Jesus’ Name.

27
Z
March 20, 2021

Praise Him for peeling back the layers…one at a time in His time!

37
June DARLEY
March 20, 2021

Can’t service two masters as we see with the GOP- always asking for more money everyday.
They need to ask for everyone to put God first and not money. This Nation was build on prayer
to God for freedom to all people than came here. The devil is working through people to keep us apart
with color of skin and back ground. We are all made with the love of God. Why can’t we all turn to
Him for the answer to this problem and not Money.

22
    F
    March 20, 2021

    True
    Giving God credit or putting Him first takes power from the power hungry

    They are God-less
    Only divine intervention will stop it

    18
    CN
    March 21, 2021

    Really. Only the GOP asking for $?? Time to broaden your research to see just how much $ was donated through “diversionary channels” to the Dem party prior to 2020 and still continuing. They made GOP donations look like a roadside kool-aid stand. Amazing how much $ people or corporations can donate (in this case the Dems) through disguise.

    4
Barbara Kuhls
March 20, 2021

Father God, you have said that your judgement would come first to the church. Let the church arise, repent, and stand for truth and righteousness. Let the church wake from her slumber, and root out all corruption within! When the church has been purified through repentance, let her work on purification of the wicked and corrupt government. How can we expect an honest government that abides by the constitution when we, the church, do not abide in your word. Instead, we wink at sin, calling the slaughter of innocents “choice” or reproductive health. Calling perverted sexual behavior “ alternate lifestyle” when you call it an abomination. We have even allowed imposters into the pulpits, wolves in sheep’s clothing who lead the flock farther into sin, away from abiding in you. Have mercy on us, Dear Father. Remove imposters from among us, send holy convictions to those who who would repent.
In the mighty name of the One who died to pay for our sin, Jeshua
Amen

61
Suzie
March 20, 2021

Give anonymously! Give money orders or cash! Just freely give without claiming the contribution on your taxes! If the Supreme Court sides with evil, which they did with not hearing the proven election fraud cases, then keep your name and organization name OFF of your donations! FATHER GOD please continue to give us knowledge of “witty inventions” as to how we should navigate through the devil’s swamp called our current fake government in JESUS Name! Amen!

51
Jamie Hotelling
March 20, 2021

Praise God so many national organizations have stepped up to support AFP TMLC in their fight to protect our freedom of association rights. I continually pray for God’s mighty right arm to expose corruption in our government and end such wicked legislation. I declare God’s righteous justice shall prevail in America!

67
Ken
March 20, 2021

Lord too often too many people act too inappropriately. Often people’s information gets in the wrong hands for the wrong purposes. Please protect the privacy of people from the cancel culture. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

94
Torrey
March 20, 2021

Father God with all the corruption in the Body of Christ and our government let your will be done to expose them all (allowing your truth, righteousness and Justice to prevail) while allowing our freedom and God given rights to align with your will in Jesus name.

93
    Jamie Hotelling
    March 20, 2021

    Amen Brother ! I’m in full agreement with you… Lord continue to expose ALL corruption in our government and your church. You are a Holy God and we are your people… “ Be ye holy for I am Holy.”

    42
Shea Manley
March 20, 2021

Father God, this like all else is in your capable hands. I pray that you would help the court judges exhibit wisdom and Godly discernment. Speak to them and guide their direction. Protect the protections that we should so obviously have. Combat evil intentions where they are. Prevent donors from being targeted by hateful actors with mal intent. I praise you and your son. In Jesus’s name, I pray.

98
    Robin
    March 20, 2021

    Amen to this prayer. Father God protect the judges that you have chosen–keep them from being blackmailed by other judges that have fallen away from your Kingdom and into the hands of the Devil. EXPOSE-EXPOSE-EXPOSE all corruption. We know all eyes are on America, Lord, and people are watching and waiting…..in your time….to see your Holiness Rise and and your judgement be witnessed.

    30

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