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Friday June 18, 2004

Shorts: U.S.

House panel rejects political clergy bill

washington (jta) | A U.S. House of Representatives panel rejected a measure that would have allowed clergy to support political candidates.

The Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, June 15, passed an amendment deleting language relaxing regulations on political activity by houses of worship.

The Safe Harbor for Churches amendment would have allowed religious leaders to make statements supporting candidates as long as they make the statements as private citizens and not as representatives of their organizations.

Religious leaders also would have been allowed to participate in political activities up to three times a year without hurting their organizations’ tax-exempt status.

Pollard wins appeal to appeal

new york (jta) | A U.S. appeals court is giving Jonathan Pollard a chance to appeal his life sentence.

An American Jew convicted for selling U.S. intelligence secrets to Israel, Pollard will be allowed to present his case to a three-judge panel later this year.

The panel will not decide whether Pollard’s sentence was too harsh, but only if Pollard can take the next step in his legal fight.

Jewish leaders talk homeland security

washington (jta) | Jewish communal leaders have discussed their alert system for Jewish organizations and religious sites with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who reportedly praised the community’s pilot program, the Secure Community Alert Network.

Discussing the community’s security needs, those involved in the meeting said Ridge suggested that its plan for alerting members about a terrorist attack could be a model for other ethnic minorities.

Legislation to use homeland security funds to secure high-risk nonprofit organizations, such as synagogues and other Jewish sites, was not discussed, participants said.

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