Internal Revenue Service, California Franchise Tax Board asked to investigate "Way Out Ministries" for Campaign Violations

IRS and Franchise Tax Board Asked to Investigate Way Out Ministries for Campaign Violations

By Randy Economy
and Brian Hews
Los Cerritos Community News
www.loscerritosnews.net

Los Cerritos Community News is asking the IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board to launch a formal investigation into the activities of The Way Out Ministries of Hawaiian Gardens for possible violations of its 501(c) (3) non-profit status after the controversial church staged a profanity laced political fundraiser/comedy night on behalf of two city council candidates on church property.
Last Thursday, (Oct. 27), The Way Out Ministries along with its Founding Pastor Barry Bruce, who is also an elected member of the Hawaiian Gardens City Council, staged the nearly three hour political fundraiser to benefit the scandal-rocked campaigns of city council candidates Kathy Trimble and Mauricio Arroyo.
Trimble changed her address in July of 2011 and moved back into Hawaiian Gardens so she could run for city council purchasing a mobile home for $129,000 in cash. She has not voted in Hawaiian Gardens for over 10 years. Arroyo worked for an engineering firm hired by Hawaiian Gardens and was fired for inappropriate behavior, allegedly drinking on the job and making advances on a women who lived in the city.
Nearly 80 supporters of the two candidates attended the “Comedy Night” event in which attendees donated a minimum of $20 per person. According to audiotapes obtained by LCCN, the event featured speeches from Bruce on behalf of Trimble and Arroyo’s campaigns, including asking attendees to “donate as much as you can” and to “work as hard as you can to get Kathy and Mauricio elected to the Hawaiian Gardens City Council on Nov. 8.”
LCCN has formally requested that the IRS, and the California Franchise Tax Board launch an investigation into Bruce and his church for violating the IRC Code which states:
“Under the Internal Revenue Code, all IRC section 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches and religious organizations, are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made by or on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. "
On the campaign website of Kathy Trimble at www.votetrimble.com, a copy of the fundraiser flyer clearly states the fundraiser was held at the Way Out Ministry property. The invitation includes a color photo of the headliner “Cochino” and also includes the political committees of Arroyo and Trimble.
On the audio recordings Bruce is heard several times saying how proud he was “on behalf of the Way Out Ministries to be able to support and raise money here for Kathy and Mauricio.”
Bruce is heard unleashing a tirade during the event and is heard on the audio tape berating incumbent Mayor Mike Gomez, Councilman Victor Farfan, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and others.
“Mauricio Arroyo and Kathy Trimble are not those kinds of people, they are people who are committed to the individuals in this city and that’s what counts, and so, I encourage you help us out tonight in raising funds for the end of this campaign since we only have two weeks left. When I (Bruce) ran for city council the windows in this building were all busted out by the politicians, my car got kicked in. So Kathy, so far so good for you, and Mauricio, I don’t think you have been bombed yet, but that’s good.”
Speaking as a candidate-IRC code states:
...when a candidate is invited to speak at a church or religious organization event as a political candidate, factors in determining whether the organization participated or intervened in a political campaign include the following:
• whether the church provides an equal opportunity to all the political candidates seeking the same office.
>According to Farfan and Gomez they were not invited
• whether the church indicates any support of or opposition to the candidate (This should be stated explicitly when the candidate is introduced and in communications concerning the candidate’s appearance .)
>Bruce clearly violates the above rule (" I encourage you help us out tonight in raising funds for the end of this campaign since we only have two weeks left.")
• whether any political fundraising occurs
>$20 fee to attend the event
• whether the individual is chosen to speak solely for reasons other than candidacy for public office
>Trimble spoke about her candidacy alone.
• whether the organization maintains a nonpartisan atmosphere on the premises or at the event where the candidate is present
>Quotes from Bruce and the comedians clearly violate the above rule.
• whether the organization clearly indicates the capacity in which the candidate is appearing and does not mention the individual’s political candidacy or the upcoming election in the communications announcing the candidate’s attendance at the event .
>Bruce clearly violates the above rule "...vote next week."
Comedians berated everyone
During the fundraiser at least four different comedians performed including headliners Cochino and John Clark from Hollywood. Bruce even played as part of a “back up band” for the comedy troop. Cochino told the crowd, he didn’t know “white people” lived in Hawaiian Gardens, and that he had “just gotten back from being in Asia, also known as Cerritos.”
Cochino took on Councilman Farfan, by belittling him by stating:
“We are here to talk about some guy named Farfan, or Fanfan, that sounds like someone with bad gas, and he is a Latino I hear.” Later in the show he refers to Councilman Victor Farfan as “Farfag” and Bruce, Trimble and Arroyo were seen laughing and clapping.
Cochino also blasted current Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Mike Gomez for being a “pool cleaner,” and Bruce is heard in the background yelling to the crowd “that’s what he does? A pool cleaner?” Cochino also tells the crowd that Gomez claims to have two jobs, and wanted to know what his other job was; Bruce heard shouting “it’s his wife,” and adding that current Hawaiian Gardens First Lady Rosie Gomez is "a lot of work."
When contacted by LCCN about the comments, Mayor Mike Gomez first reaction was “I am in a state of shock” but quickly said to “consider the source.” Gomez also said that he was alarmed that Way Out Ministries was using their facilities and resources to promote the campaigns of Trimble and Arroyo during the past several weeks.
Cochino later in the fundraiser even commented that Vice Mayor Michi Canada “could not attend, because she fell asleep in her car.” He went on to say “Michi falls asleep wherever she goes and that she should be in a mattress commercial.”
Go to www.LosCerritosNews.net for entire coverage