He violated state election laws.
A Texas pastor who ran for a city council seat has been fined $3,500 for violating state election laws. Scott Beard, the founding pastor of Fountaingate Fellowship, attempted a campaign for Abilene City Council last year but was found guilty by the Texas Ethics Commission in May. The fine was imposed last month after Beard was found to have accepted political donations from churches and displayed campaign signs on church property, actions that contravened state election codes.
The Texas Ethics Commission’s order and agreed resolution highlighted several violations, including Beard’s failure to disclose in-kind contributions on his campaign finance reports. Additionally, he accepted corporate contributions from his own church, Fountaingate, and received political donations from other incorporated churches. The commission also noted that Beard used his church office as a distribution point for campaign materials such as signs and hats. Authorities asserted that Beard knowingly accepted political contributions that violated bans on corporate contributions.
Several churches, including Fountaingate Merkel, Remnant Church of Abilene, and Hope 4 Life Church of Abilene (also known as Hope Chapel Foursquare Abilene), were identified as contributors to Beard’s campaign. Beard claimed that upon realizing these donations might be considered corporate contributions, he promptly returned the funds.
The outcome was welcomed by Kristin Postell, an Abilene attorney who lodged a complaint with the commission. She expressed satisfaction with the result, emphasizing that substantial penalties are necessary to ensure compliance with election laws.
In addition to the state-level penalties, complaints have been filed with the Internal Revenue Service by Abilene residents, alleging Beard’s church engaged in unlawful campaign activities. Although Beard’s infractions are under state jurisdiction, federal regulations governing church involvement in political campaigns have been established since 1954. The Johnson Amendment, named after its sponsor, then-Senator Lyndon Johnson, prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches, from participating in political campaign activities. Despite an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in 2017 aimed at relaxing these restrictions, the Johnson Amendment remains in force, continuing to generate debate over its impact on the free speech rights of religious institutions.