United States Vice President Kamala Harris is facing widespread criticism after a video of her was shown to more than 300 Black churches across Virginia where she urged residents to vote for Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.
The move has attracted many lawyers who suggested the video violates the Internal Revenue Service rule for tax-exempt churches under Section 501(c)3 of the IRS code. However, it was unclear whether or not any churches have played the video just yet.
Kamala Harris Under Fire
In the video recording, Harris could be seen saying that McAuliffe was the leader that the people of Virginia needed at this moment. The vice president argued that early voting has already begun and argued that this is the first time Americans will be able to vote on a Sunday. She then urged watchers to vote after the service immediately.
A professor at George Washington University Law School, Jonathan Turley, said that the statute extended the tax-exemption to entities that did not "participate in, or intervene in [including the publishing or distributing of statements], any political campaign on behalf of [or in opposition to] any candidate for public office," Fox News reported.
The situation comes as the vice president is struggling to muster up support for United States President Joe Biden's climate change plan. On Monday, Harris visited Nevada to promote the Democratic president's "Build Back Better" bill that includes provisions for addressing the rising threat of climate change.
The official's speech was made in front of one of the most dramatic examples of changing climate in the West: Lake Mead. The Colorado River reservoir provides water supply to about 25 million people in the West and is the largest reservoir in the United States by volume, said the National Park Service. However, it has not been full of water since 2000 due to rising temperatures.
"Just look at this lake, look at where the water has receded over just the last 20 years. That space is larger than the height of the Statue of Liberty," Harris said while pointing to Lake Mead's "bathtub ring" that showed the past high water mark, Deseret reported.
Biden's Climate Plan
Harris argued that Biden's mega-spending bills are crucial to addressing climate change and reversing its effects before it's too late. Previously, the Democratic president considered climate change to be the "greatest threat" to the country's national security in the following years.
The vice president argued that Biden's Build Back Better would invest in things such as recycling and reuse, which are critical to helping heal the planet. However, despite the official's support, Democrats are still negotiating within their own party regarding the price tag of the $3.5 trillion spending package.
On the other hand, the $1 trillion infrastructure bill would create "good union jobs", Harris argued. The bill recently passed the Senate and is now pending in the House of Representatives for approval.
Harris claimed that the passing of the bills would benefit future generations "in a way that will not only be about life but about... beautiful places like Lake Mead," Fox Business reported.
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