Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock‘s (D) church is facing a subpoena threat after failing to respond to inquiries regarding its charitable status.
Ebenezer Building Foundation, a foundation operated by Sen. Warnock’s Ebenezer Baptist Church is facing serious questions from Georgia’s Secretary of State office over its charity registration.
In an October letter, Georgia Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger (R) demanded that the charity provide a written explanation by Nov. 2nd as to why it is operating in the state without an active registration.
“The Division’s records indicate that Ebenezer Building Foundation … is not registered as a charitable organization with the State of Georgia,” an attorney with the Georgia Securities and Charities Division wrote in the letter to Kenneth Palmer, a member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church Board of Trustees.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, the Ebenezer Building Foundation has reported in each of its Form 990 tax returns filed with the IRS since 2011 that it is registered to operate as a charity in Georgia. However, the Georgia Securities and Charities Division have informed the Free Beacon that Warnock’s charity is not properly registered with state authorities.
Now, Raffensperger is considering whether to issue a formal subpoena against the church if it does not respond when a Georgia state investigator delivers another investigative letter.
Ebenezer Building Foundation identifies Warnock as its principal officer in its Form 990s and says it delegates all management duties to Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Warnock pulls in a salary and a $7,417 monthly housing allowance on top of a lucrative tax-free housing allowance as he serves in the Senate.
From 2011 through 2020, the Ebenezer Building Foundation reported receiving $2.8 million in charitable contributions, $4.1 million in program service revenue, and $847,000 in “other revenue,” according to its IRS Form 990 filings.
Soliciting charitable contributions and operating a charitable organization in Georgia without active registration is a violation of state law and can result in fines and in extreme cases, the Georgia secretary of state can bar offenders from raising funds in the state.
Ebenezer Building Foundation owns 99 percent of Columbia Tower at MLK Village, a low-income apartment building in downtown Atlanta that moved to evict residents during the pandemic. Reports indicated some residents were being evicted for outstanding balances as low as $28, after the report was made public Georgia Republican Senate hopeful Herschel Walker volunteered to pay the outstanding balances for tenants. (RELATED: Herschel Walker Offers to Pay Rent to Stop ‘Reverend Warnock From Evicting’ Low-Income Tenants)
The state’s threat of an investigative subpoena against Ebenezer’s charity could pose significant problems for Warnock as he launches his runoff campaign against Walker.
If Walker successfully unseats Warnock the Senate will be tied 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote.
The two candidates will face off in a Dec.6th runoff election after neither candidate crossed the 50 percent threshold required to win.
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Why is this corrupt politician in charge of Martin Luther King’s church?
Abortion is the antithesis of Christianity. I’m sorry (not sorry), but you can’t be pro-abortion and pro-Christ. To say you are is pure hypocrisy. Warnock is just another person who has issues with the truth. Another case of Black Lives Matter–unless they’re in the womb.
When Hershel wins the seat, we get Joe Manchin to change Party Affiliations and Republicans control the Senate. Payback for Schumer screwing Manchin. Don’t be surprised.