Just a few days after Americans United for Separation of Church and State asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate Liberty University, the university decided to follow suit.
On Monday, the Liberty Counsel filed its own complaint with the IRS, accusing the nonprofit Americans United of political bias. In its complaint, Americans United suggested Liberty University should lose its nonprofit status because it dropped endorsement of the school's College Democrats club.
Mat Staver, founder and chairman of the Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University School of Law, said the university can decide which student groups to fund.
"Liberty has complete freedom to officially recognize or not recognize any club, especially when the decision is based on its core mission," he said in a statement. "Liberty is not endorsing or opposing political candidates. Liberty cannot and will not lend its name or funds to support causes that undermine its mission and core values, such as abortion and same-sex 'marriage'."
Staver said Americans United is clearly partisan in its efforts.
“They routinely send out these intimidating letters to pastors and leaders of nonprofit organizations to try to silence them," he said. "They are essentially an arm of the Democratic Party.
“My word to pastors: It’s time to stand up and make a difference.”
— Roger Greer
