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FFRF Asks IRS to Stop New Mexico Megachurch's Repeat Electioneering
MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 5 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
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November 3, 2026
FFRF asks IRS to stop New Mexico megachurch's repeat electioneering
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again calling on the IRS to investigate a New Mexico megachurch for violating federal tax law due to its endorsement of political candidates.
FFRF sent a letter to the IRS on Nov. 2 after The Guardian's recent reporting that exposed renewed electioneering by Legacy Church, an Albuquerque-based megachurch with nine locations across New Mexico.This is just four
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MADISON, Wisconsin, Nov. 5 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
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November 3, 2026
FFRF asks IRS to stop New Mexico megachurch's repeat electioneering
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again calling on the IRS to investigate a New Mexico megachurch for violating federal tax law due to its endorsement of political candidates.
FFRF sent a letter to the IRS on Nov. 2 after The Guardian's recent reporting that exposed renewed electioneering by Legacy Church, an Albuquerque-based megachurch with nine locations across New Mexico.This is just fouryears after FFRF reported the same church to the IRS for similar misconduct.
The Oct. 29 Guardian article revealed that Legacy Church's senior pastor, Steve Smothermon, has been openly endorsing Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections, including congressional candidate Greg Cunningham and gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull.
In mid-August, Smothermon appeared in an Instagram video promoting Cunningham, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. The accompanying post explicitly urged congregants to support Cunningham's campaign: "Greg Cunningham has faithfully served our church for 14 years and shares our biblical values. Let's pray for him, support his campaign, get registered, and vote to flip this seat for someone who will stand for God, our Constitution, and a better New Mexico!"
On Oct. 6, Smothermon also endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Gregg Hull on social media, declaring that Hull should be New Mexico's next governor and encouraging followers to vote according to their biblical worldview.
FFRF is particularly concerned because this is not the first time Legacy Church has been accused of violating federal electioneering restrictions. In 2022, FFRF filed an IRS complaint after Smothermon encouraged congregants to vote for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti and described Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as "demonic."
Four years later, the same church is once again drawing national attention for using its religious platform to promote political candidates.
FFRF is urging the IRS to investigate Legacy Church, enforce the law and make clear that tax exemption is a privilege -- not a license to engage in electioneering.
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The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with about 40,000 members nationwide, including more than 400 members in New Mexico. FFRF's purposes are to defend the constitutional principle of separation between church and state, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.
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Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-asks-irs-to-stop-new-mexico-megachurchs-repeat-electioneering/
[Category: Religion]
What Does 'Compromise' Mean for 340B Drug Pricing Program?
LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 4 -- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation posted the following news:
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What Does 'Compromise' Mean for 340B Drug Pricing Program?
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Ignore lawmakers touting the bipartisan nature of their 340B reform efforts. Representative Scott Peters (D-CA), a drug company-friendly lawmaker and fierce opponent of 340B, introduced the SECURE 340B Act along with its cosponsor, Representative James Joyce (R-PA), on July 6, 2026.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program allows nonprofit healthcare providers to purchase prescription drugs at discounted prices, helping them generate savings they
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LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 4 -- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation posted the following news:
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What Does 'Compromise' Mean for 340B Drug Pricing Program?
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Ignore lawmakers touting the bipartisan nature of their 340B reform efforts. Representative Scott Peters (D-CA), a drug company-friendly lawmaker and fierce opponent of 340B, introduced the SECURE 340B Act along with its cosponsor, Representative James Joyce (R-PA), on July 6, 2026.
The 340B Drug Pricing Program allows nonprofit healthcare providers to purchase prescription drugs at discounted prices, helping them generate savings theyplow back into care for low-income patients. All the talk about reform is nothing more than drug companies trying to limit the number of prescriptions available at discounted prices; fewer discounted prescriptions mean more profit.
Both lawmakers are using the "bipartisan" designator as synonymous with compromise legislation, but the bill merely brings together Republican and Democratic representatives that are much more sympathetic to the interests of the pharmaceutical industry than nonprofit healthcare providers. In the legislative context, compromise usually means finding a middle ground between the disparate interests of opposing political parties. For 340B--a program with bipartisan support in Congress but also, as seen with SECURE, bipartisan opponents--a compromise would involve reconciling the conflicting priorities of the program's stakeholders, covered entities, and drug manufacturers.
Rhetoric is very important in political debates. Representatives Peters and Joyce understand that the word bipartisan can do a lot of heavy lifting to steer their bill through the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Here is the first line from Representative Peters' press release about the legislation: "Today, Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50) and Dr. John Joyce (PA-13) introduced the bipartisan SECURE 340B Act, the first-ever comprehensive, bipartisan proposal to modernize the 340B Drug Pricing Program since its creation in 1992." It is no accident that the word bipartisan gets used twice.
Words matter. When people hear the word bipartisan, they are not wrong in assuming it connotes some type of compromise. And that is what drug companies and their allies in Congress want. SECURE is bipartisan, but it is no way a compromise. Lawmakers are asking for nonprofit providers to surrender on several fronts now and then telegraphing how they must capitulate on rebate conversion, which would change how providers access their savings later.
John Arcano is Senior Manager of Policy and Government Affairs at AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
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Original text here: https://www.aidshealth.org/2026/11/what-does-compromise-mean-for-340b-drug-pricing-program/
Texas Public Policy Foundation CEO Greg Sindelar Issues Statement on Texas Midterm Election Results
AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 4 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation posted the following news release:
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TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar Issues Statement on Texas Midterm Election Results
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AUSTIN -- Texas Public Policy Foundation CEO Greg Sindelar issued the following statement in the wake of Tuesday's elections:
"Yesterday's elections ushered in new leadership for the Lone Star State. Yet the challenges facing our state and nation have not changed, and neither have our principles. Make no mistake: Texans still want the next generation to inherit a Texas worthy of its Founding.
We now begin a new chapter
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AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 4 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation posted the following news release:
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TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar Issues Statement on Texas Midterm Election Results
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AUSTIN -- Texas Public Policy Foundation CEO Greg Sindelar issued the following statement in the wake of Tuesday's elections:
"Yesterday's elections ushered in new leadership for the Lone Star State. Yet the challenges facing our state and nation have not changed, and neither have our principles. Make no mistake: Texans still want the next generation to inherit a Texas worthy of its Founding.
We now begin a new chapterin Texas's storied history. There will be another. Until it comes, the Texas Public Policy Foundation will stand in the gap, clear-eyed fighting for the ideals that have made Texas the best state to raise a family and run a business.
TPPF remains focused on making Texas an affordable place to live, providing lasting property tax relief, ensuring the responsible use of AI, keeping our communities safe, securing our border, and making sure we have enough reliable energy and water to fuel our growing population.
The TPPF team will endeavor, as always, to embody the spirit of 1836. We are called to be a light, and we will lead the charge while shining boldly in the face of any challenge to protect what makes Texas special. Failure is not an option. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to keeping Texas -- and America -- the freest places on Earth."
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Original text here: https://www.texaspolicy.com/press/tppf-ceo-greg-sindelar-issues-statement-on-texas-midterm-election-results
Reaching Men Where They Are Can Improve Their Health Outcomes
LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 4 -- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation posted the following news:
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Reaching Men Where They Are Can Improve Their Health Outcomes
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Too many men wait to seek healthcare services because of stigma, fear of diagnosis, and expectations that they should always appear strong. These barriers can lead to missed opportunities for early detection and treatment of HIV and other health conditions. Breaking the cycle requires more than encouraging men to visit a doctor. Health services must become more accessible, reach men in their communities, and create opportunities for
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LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 4 -- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation posted the following news:
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Reaching Men Where They Are Can Improve Their Health Outcomes
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Too many men wait to seek healthcare services because of stigma, fear of diagnosis, and expectations that they should always appear strong. These barriers can lead to missed opportunities for early detection and treatment of HIV and other health conditions. Breaking the cycle requires more than encouraging men to visit a doctor. Health services must become more accessible, reach men in their communities, and create opportunities foropen conversations about prevention and care.
An episode of AIDS Healthcare Foundation's "Global Public Health Revolution" podcast explored these challenges, featuring two-time NBA All-Star Norm Nixon and Trevor Imogel, a youth advocate with AHF Uganda Cares in Africa. Despite their different generations and experiences, both emphasized how traditional expectations of masculinity can discourage men from taking their health seriously.
Nixon recalled how fear and stigma discouraged men from getting tested during the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He also described an outreach initiative in Los Angeles that brought nurses into barbershops to screen men for high blood pressure and diabetes. According to Nixon, the effort reached more than 20,000 men, including some who had never received a routine physical examination.
In Uganda (picture above), Imogel described similar efforts to bring health services closer to men through workplace outreach, football events, and sports programming. These activities create opportunities to discuss HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and encourage men to seek testing and care in familiar settings.
Both guests also emphasized the value of conversations between men of different generations. Older men can share their experiences and encourage younger men to see preventive care as a responsibility, not a sign of weakness. For men living with HIV, overcoming stigma and maintaining treatment are particularly important to staying healthy.
Healthcare providers can also play a role by offering welcoming, nonjudgmental services that make men comfortable seeking help and returning for follow-up care.
Improving men's health requires changing both attitudes and how services are delivered. By bringing prevention, testing, and care into everyday community spaces, health systems can reach more men before manageable health problems become serious threats to their lives.
(Watch the "Global Public Health Revolution" podcast.)
Brian Shepherd is the Associate Director of Global Policy and Communications at AHF.
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Original text here: https://www.aidshealth.org/2026/11/reaching-men-where-they-are-can-improve-their-health-outcomes/
Prosperity Now: Affordability Today and Financial Security Tomorrow
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 [Category: Economics] -- Prosperity Now (formerly the Corporation for Enterprise Development) posted the following news release:
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Prosperity Now: Affordability Today and Financial Security Tomorrow
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WASHINGTON, D.C. | November 4, 2026 -- Following the 2026 midterm elections, Prosperity Now President and CEO Marisa Calderon issued the following statement:
"Every family budget answers two questions: Can we get through this month? And will anything be left to build a future?
"Last night, voters made clear which question is keeping them up at night. Nearly nine in ten
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 [Category: Economics] -- Prosperity Now (formerly the Corporation for Enterprise Development) posted the following news release:
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Prosperity Now: Affordability Today and Financial Security Tomorrow
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WASHINGTON, D.C. | November 4, 2026 -- Following the 2026 midterm elections, Prosperity Now President and CEO Marisa Calderon issued the following statement:
"Every family budget answers two questions: Can we get through this month? And will anything be left to build a future?
"Last night, voters made clear which question is keeping them up at night. Nearly nine in tensaid the cost of living was a crucial or major factor in their vote. The message was unmistakable: Americans are struggling to afford life's basic necessities, and they want Washington to fix it. That priority belongs to voters and it should unite the new Congress.
"Rent, groceries, utilities, child care: these aren't abstractions. They decide whether a family can cover an emergency, buy a home, start a business, or put something away for their kids. That's why affordability and asset building can't be separate conversations. When everyday expenses consume a family's income, even a single emergency can erase years of financial progress.
"Prosperity Now has spent 47 years turning good ideas into results families can feel. We bring together data, capital, practical tools, and a national network of community organizations to put solutions to work where people live. That means more families with emergency savings, more first-time homeowners who stay in their homes, and more small businesses with access to the capital they need to grow.
"We're ready to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, alongside lenders, businesses, and community organizations, to advance practical solutions that make everyday costs more manageable and expand opportunities for lasting financial security.
"Progress should be measured by two things: what families can afford today, and what they can build for tomorrow."
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Original text here: https://prosperitynow.org/prosperity-now-affordability-today-and-financial-security-tomorrow/
HIV Prevention on a Siberian Roadside
LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 4 -- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation posted the following news:
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HIV Prevention on a Siberian Roadside
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Public health can spend a lot of time designing systems and waiting for people to enter them. The more effective approach is often the opposite: Go where people actually are, understand the reality of their lives, and bring the services to them.
About a decade ago, while traveling through Russia on a work trip for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, I saw one of the clearest examples of this at 11 p.m. on a frozen roadside in Siberia.
I could see steam from steady
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LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 4 -- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation posted the following news:
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HIV Prevention on a Siberian Roadside
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Public health can spend a lot of time designing systems and waiting for people to enter them. The more effective approach is often the opposite: Go where people actually are, understand the reality of their lives, and bring the services to them.
About a decade ago, while traveling through Russia on a work trip for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, I saw one of the clearest examples of this at 11 p.m. on a frozen roadside in Siberia.
I could see steam from steadybreathing rise into the night from four or five women standing along a secluded road outside Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Bare, slender legs braced against the cold while the rest of them disappeared into puffy jackets. A lone streetlight cast a dim amber circle as our van pulled up.
A couple of men in black leather jackets sat in a car tucked beneath some trees. They looked vigilant but relaxed when they recognized the vehicle. Community health workers were regular visitors, and everyone seemed to understand the arrangement: The "security detail" didn't interfere with HIV-prevention work.
A local organization serving female sex workers had invited a colleague and me on one of its nighttime outreach runs. Cold apparently does not put much of a damper on sex work in this part of the world. Nor does it stop public health.
Svetlana was in the middle of her shift when we met. After hearing that we were visiting from AHF, she leaned toward me cheerfully and said, "Well then, go ahead and undress!"
I politely declined.
She was perhaps 30, and our conversation was easy and jovial. We asked what the women thought about HIV testing, condoms, and the outreach workers who visited them.
As we talked, one of the health workers invited another woman into our van for a rapid HIV test. A few minutes later, she stepped back into the cold night, tucking several strips of condoms into the pocket of her fur coat.
Svetlana said the women appreciated the service. The organization also worked with a nearby sexually transmitted infections clinic, where staff knew to expect referrals for treatment and follow-up.
Even the customers seemed familiar with the routine. A gray Lada--a boxy, Soviet-era sedan--passed us three or four times, its driver apparently unnerved by the unfamiliar people chatting with women who were trying to work. Eventually, courage or impatience won. He stopped, a passenger door opened, a brief conversation followed, one of the women got in, and the car disappeared into the Siberian night.
The remarkable thing was how unremarkable the whole interaction felt. There were no lectures, no shame, and no demands that anyone explain the choices that brought them to that roadside.
There was simply a test, some condoms, a connection to medical care if needed, and people willing to show up late at night in the cold because that was where the people they served happened to be.
Public health can become buried under strategies, targets, and technical language. At its best, the principle is much simpler: Meet people where they are, rather than waiting for them to come to you.
Denys Nazarov is the Director of Global Policy and Communication at AIDS Healthcare Foundation. He has been with AHF for more than 17 years.
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Original text here: https://www.aidshealth.org/2026/11/hiv-prevention-on-a-siberian-roadside/
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Congratulates Maryland's Elected Leaders
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Nov. 4 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
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Chesapeake Bay Foundation Congratulates Maryland's Elected Leaders
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Incumbents and Incoming Officials Will Play Vital Role in Protecting the Chesapeake Bay
At a critical moment for the environment, local economies, and the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland voters hit the polls yesterday to elect leaders at the federal, state, and county levels. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) congratulates Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Attorney General Anthony
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ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, Nov. 4 -- The Chesapeake Bay Foundation posted the following news release:
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Chesapeake Bay Foundation Congratulates Maryland's Elected Leaders
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Incumbents and Incoming Officials Will Play Vital Role in Protecting the Chesapeake Bay
At a critical moment for the environment, local economies, and the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland voters hit the polls yesterday to elect leaders at the federal, state, and county levels. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) congratulates Governor Wes Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Attorney General AnthonyBrown, U.S. Representative-elect Adrian Boafo, and all newly elected and incumbent leaders who prevailed in their elections. CBF looks forward to working together to revitalize the Bay, its tributaries, and the communities that rely on them.
Maryland has made significant commitments to further reducing water pollution and addressing climate change in recent years, including signing an updated Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Governor Moore and Maryland's General Assembly have also passed vital Bay legislation, including the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act and Whole Watershed Act. State leaders have maintained state funding commitments for significant environmental programs and agencies, despite recent and ongoing budget challenges.
State level leadership is key to continuing progress towards long-term Bay restoration goals. As Maryland faces ongoing threats from climate change and backtracking at the federal level by the Trump Administration, that leadership remains more important than ever. CBF extends its congratulations to all candidates elected and looks forward to working with leaders at all levels of government to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
CBF Maryland Executive Director Allison Colden issued the following statement:
"At a time when the federal administration is stepping back from their commitments and role in Bay restoration, strong state and local leadership is more critical than ever. We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor, Comptroller, Attorney General, and members of the General Assembly to ensure a clean and healthy Bay. We also look forward to engaging with newly elected leaders who will be our next generation of Chesapeake Bay champions."
CBF Senior Policy Director Keisha Sedlacek issued the following statement:
"The incoming Maryland congressional delegation will be sworn in at a critical time for Chesapeake Bay restoration and preservation efforts. Strong leadership in Congress will be needed to help ensure continued progress on Bay cleanup targets, and to fight efforts from this administration that threaten Bay health.
"Saving the Bay has always been a bipartisan endeavor. We're confident the incoming delegation will continue regional leaders' strong stewardship of Bay priorities and we look forward to working with them."
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Original text here: https://www.cbf.org/news/chesapeake-bay-foundation-congratulates-marylands-elected-leaders/
