O’Rourke: Churches Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage Should Lose Tax-Exempt Status

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke pledged Thursday night to end the tax-exempt status of churches and religious organizations that oppose same-sex marriage if he’s elected, saying it’s a necessary step to promote human rights. 

O’Rourke, a former U.S. representative from Texas, made the comments during CNN’s town hall on LGBT issues. Eight other candidates participated, although only O’Rourke and Sen. Cory Booker were the only ones asked the tax-exempt question. 

Beto O’Rourke on religious institutions losing tax-exempt status for opposing same-sex marriage: “There can be no reward, no benefit, no tax break for anyone … that denies the full human rights and the full civil rights of every single one of us” #EqualityTownHall pic.twitter.com/tjwVGqv5h0

— CNN (@CNN) October 11, 2019

While Booker refused to endorse the yanking of churches’ tax-exempt status, O’Rourke quickly embraced it. 

O’Rourke was asked, “Do you think religious institutions, like colleges, churches [and] charities – should they lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage?”

“Yes,” O’Rourke said to applause. “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. So as…