Mass. Gov. Romney May Veto Disclosure Bill

[Judi Lynn]

Mass. Gov. Romney May Veto Disclosure Bill
Mass. Gov. Romney Indicates He May Veto Bill Requiring Religious Groups to Disclose Finances
The Associated Press

BOSTON Jan 24, 2006 — Gov. Mitt Romney signaled he may veto a bill strongly opposed by religious organizations that would require religious groups to disclose their finances.

In remarks on Monday with reporters, Romney said that while he believes government and society have a responsibility to regulate churches and charities, the measure before the legislature goes too far.

His remarks come as the state House of Representatives is poised to consider the measure this week and as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and other religious denominations seek to get it defeated. The bill has already passed the Senate.

The bill would require all religious organizations that have revenues of more than $500,000 a year to file financial reports and provide a list of real estate holdings with the attorney general's office.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1535118&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[EST]

1. So, churches, to paraphrase a r/w theofascist howl,

"If yuh got nuthin' to hide, why would you care if someone checks your books, hunh?"

[NYC Liberal]

2. Are there enough votes for an override?

How much did it pass by?

[MADem]

3. Can't have RELIGIONS being accountable for their actions, can we?

The measure, in part, is outgrowth of the clergy sex abuse scandal that engulfed the Roman Catholic church in Boston. In its aftermath, some lawmakers and parishioners have sought more information about the church's finances and its real estate holdings -- particularly as the archdiocese spent more than $85 million to settle lawsuits and then moved to close dozens of parishes.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/01/24/romney_indicates_he_might_veto_religious_financial_disclosure_bill/

And it ain't just the Catholics with issues.....

[Judi Lynn]

4. It appears there was a huge move to block the legislation by the Catholic

Church. From an earlier Boston Globe article:

O'Malley resists bill on financial disclosure
Encourages Catholics to lobby against measure
By Scott Helman and Frank Phillips, Globe Staff | January 21, 2006

~snip~
Walsh said the church is deliberately distorting the intent of the bill and its sponsors. The only motive, she said, is to make sure that the public can see where religious groups, which are legally considered public charities, are spending their money, and how they manage financial resources.

''This bill does not affect what any particular church believes or how they govern themselves," Walsh said. ''That would clearly be a violation of the First Amendment."

Secretary of State William Galvin, who with Walsh has led the effort to get the bill passed, yesterday called O'Malley's letter ''extraordinary," in that the church is asking parishioners to take political action to protect the church's administrators from financial disclosure.

''This is not about control of the church's finances or over its parishes," Galvin said. ''The archbishop needs to answer where all the money is going."
(snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/01/21/omalley_resists_bill_on_financial_disclosure/

[chelsea0011]

5. Maybe he resigned when he became Governor, but Romney

is/was some kind of higher up type in the Morman Church. Why isn't this a major breach of ethics to have him rule on this?

[Platypus]

6. Pure pandering

Yet again, Mitt shows that he doesn't give a damn what the people of Massachusetts, or their duly elected legislators, think. He has his eye on a large audience outside the state, but that's hardly news. It's similar to his defiance of his constituents' wishes and the state constitution regarding gay marriage, as a way to gain votes elsewhere when he runs for president, and that example also highlights his inconsistency regarding separation of church and state. On this and other issues he has certainly allowed his religion to affect his decisions as the state's chief executive, but God forbid (heh) that the gate should swing both ways by allowing the people or the state to verify that a church is upholding their side of the "treaty" on which that separation is based and under which they get a tax exemption. There's no principle involved for Mitt other than self-interest.

[Ian David]

7. For more info and Action Items, see related thread:

Mass. to vote on law requiring financial transparency 4 houses of worship Click here to hide this thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=158x7533