Baptist Pastor Says IRS Investigating Him For Endorsing Huckabee

BUENA PARK, CA. (AP) – Southern Baptist pastor Wiley Drake says in Buena Park, Calif., that he is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for using church stationery to endorse Mike Huckabee.

Drake says he received the IRS letter last week but he would not elaborate. Federal tax law says church officials may legally discuss politics but that endorsing candidates or parties puts their tax-exempt status at risk.

Most people who violate the rule get only a warning. Drake is a prominent pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention and is based in Buena Park.

He issued a press release in August announcing his personal endorsement of Huckabee and asking Southern Baptists to join him. Huckabee also is a Southern Baptist preacher.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)