Beto Vows to Strip Churches of Tax-Exempt Status For Refusing to Support Gay Marriage
Democratic presidential candidate reveals LGBTQ policies
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Democratic presidential candidate 'Beto' O'Rourke revealed some of his LGBTQ policies during a CNN town hall event on Thursday night.
O'Rourke promised to strip churches and other organizations of their tax-exempt status if they didn't support the LGBTQ cause by opposing same-sex marriage.
CNN's Don Lemon asked O'Rourke how such a move could be implemented in organizations steeped in traditional religious beliefs about marriage.
"This is from your LGBTQ plan, and here's what you write, here's a quote, 'Freedom of religion is a fundamental right, but it should not be used to discriminate,'" Lemon said.
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"Do you think religious institutions, like colleges, churches, charities, should they lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage?" Lemon asked.
"Yes," O'Rourke replied, as the LGBT audience applauded.
"There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone or any institution, any organization in America that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us," O'Rourke added.
"And so as president, we're gonna make that a priority," he said.
"And we are going to stop those who are infringing upon the civil rights of our fellow Americans."
Video: With a tee-up from CNN's Don Lemon, Beto O'Rourke says to cheers and applause that he will target churches and any organization that doesn't fully accept the LGBTQ agenda receives "reward, no benefit, no tax break," and loses their tax-exempt status #EqualityTownHall pic.twitter.com/WQ9J0BFzsZ
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In June, O'Rourke rolled out plans to help the LGBTQ community establish more equality ins schools.
O'Rourke endorsed a law that would force public schools into allowing biological male athletes to compete against girls in team sports.
O'Rourke's LGBTQ platform lays the groundwork for permitting special treatment to LGBTQ individuals via a list of executive, legislative, and global initiatives.
The plan states, in order "to ensure full equality," the Equality Act must become law.
In addition to endorsing passage of the Equality Act, O'Rourke's comprehensive LGBTQ plan would "allow migrants seeking asylum to qualify as a 'vulnerable population' if they are gay," Reuters reported.
