Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky.

Matt Bevin, governor of Kentucky and supporter of Donald Trump, is beseeching pastors from his state to ignore the federal law that says they may not endorse political candidates if their churches are to maintain their tax-exempt status.

“Since 1954, do you know how many churches have lost their tax-exempt status because of political speeches?” he asked the crowd of 130 religious leaders he’d invited to the governor’s mansion (last month). “Zero. Zero. The reality is it (the law) is an absolute paper tiger. There is no reason to fear it, there is no reason to be silent and we who have been exhorted and encouraged to have this boldness and this spirit and to be unapologetic, and I would encourage you to do it.”

Hello-o-o … IRS are you listening? The Johnson Amendment was passed in 1954 and is part of the federal tax code. Trump has called for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment and it is part of the GOP platform this year.

The policy, which was approved while Lyndon B. Johnson was in the Senate, prohibits 501(c) (3) nonprofits from expressly endorsing or opposing political candidates. (According to Pew, Johnson and other Democrats pushed for the rule because they were concerned about nonprofits funding their opponents’ campaigns.) Because of their nonprofit status, donations to churches are tax deductible...

In July at the Republican National Convention, Bevin told CBS News that he believed in Trump.

“I support him to be president of the United States, I will certainly vote for him...he is far and away the most qualified person to be president.”

Bevin’s office rejected the suggestions he encouraged pastors to break the law:

When asked if the governor was telling pastors to disregard the Johnson Amendment, Bevin’s press secretary Amanda Stamper said “The Governor simply encouraged the ministers to preach boldly.”

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