IRS rushed tax-exempt status of 'After School Satan Club,' new documents reveal
New documents obtained by Judicial Watch reveal that the IRS granted tax-exempt status to The Satanic Temple's "After School Satan Club" in just 10 days while making conservative groups wait for years.
Records from the Treasury Department indicate that the Satanic Temple applied for tax-exempt status for the After School Satan Club at Point Defiance Elementary in Tacoma on Oct. 21, 2014 and received it on Oct. 31, 2014.
During that time, the IRS was being sued for delaying applications of several organizations that include "Christian," "Patriot" or "tea party" in their names, according to World Net Daily.
Judicial Watch, a conservative group that uses open records or freedom of information laws to expose misconduct by government officials, stated on its website that IRS political appointees under the Obama administration illegally targeted conservative groups, making them wait for years for tax-exempt status or denying their application altogether.
The organization behind the After School Satan Club is a nonprofit called Reason Alliance, based in Somerville, Massachusetts, and conducts its operation in Washington State as the Satanic Temple of Seattle.
Records reveal that the Point Defiance Elementary Satanic club was established by Lilith X. Starr, the director of Satanic Temple of Seattle. The club stated in its application that its purpose is "character development," and it indicated that the adult instructors are vetted by the Temple's "Executive Ministry."
The documents also show that Starr told Tacoma School District Superintendent Carla Santorno that the effort to launch the club in Tacoma schools was in direct response to Christian-based Good News Clubs operating in schools across the district.
The Satanic Temple's own website states: "Please keep in mind that the Satanic Temple is not interested in operating After School Satan Clubs in school districts that are not already hosting the Good News Club. However, The Satanic Temple ultimately intends to have After School Satan Clubs operating in every school district where the Good News Club is represented."
Starr also told the superintendent that the clubs are led by "caring Satanists," and the children who join will receive membership cards.
The records also indicate that the parent permission forms used for children to join ask for the name of the child's pastor and church. It was also revealed that no one had signed up for the After School Satan Club two weeks after it began its operations.