According to Mediaite, Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis blamed former President Donald Trump for the controversial Satanic altar erected in Iowa’s State Capitol, asserting that the IRS granted the Satanic Temple tax-exempt status in 2019 during the Trump administration. DeSantis made these remarks during a CNN town hall in Iowa.
WHEN QUESTIONED BY JAKE TAPPER ABOUT WHETHER THE SATANIC ALTAR SHOULD REMAIN IN THE CAPITOL, DESANTIS EXPRESSED SURPRISE AND STATED, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE LEGISLATURE– WHAT THEY, HOW THEY ANALYZED IT, BUT IT VERY WELL MAY BE BECAUSE OF THAT RULING UNDER DONALD TRUMP THAT THEY MAY HAVE HAD A LEGAL LEG TO STAND ON.” HE SUGGESTED THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S APPROVAL FOR THE SATANIC TEMPLE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A RELIGION BY THE IRS PROVIDED THEM WITH A LEGAL BASIS FOR DISPLAYING THE ALTAR.
TAPPER CLARIFIED THAT THE IRS GRANTING TAX-EXEMPT STATUS DOESN’T NECESSARILY IMPLY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECOGNITION OF THE SATANIC TEMPLE AS A RELIGION. DESANTIS EXPRESSED DISAGREEMENT WITH THE DECISION, SAYING, “I DON’T THINK THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION. WE’RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE SATAN AS A RELIGION? THAT’S WRONG.”
When asked if the altar should be taken down in the Capitol, DeSantis responded that he would fight the legal battle against it, but he acknowledged that the legislature in Iowa might be concerned about potential legal challenges due to the IRS ruling.
When asked if the altar should be taken down in the Capitol, DeSantis responded that he would fight the legal battle against it, but he acknowledged that the legislature in Iowa might be concerned about potential legal challenges due to the IRS ruling.
