President Trump will sign an executive order Thursday designed to make it easier for religious groups to participate in politics. A senior administration official told reporters Wednesday night that the order directs the IRS to "exercise maximum discretion" in enforcing the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits groups with tax-exempt status from endorsing candidates.
- The official said Trump's order was "about keeping his campaign promise." He pledged to "utterly destroy" the amendment on the campaign trail.
- The order will also "provide regulatory relief" for employers that object to the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate, the official said.
- The ACLU has already said it will challenge the order on the grounds that it facilitates discrimination, per CBS' Mark Knoller.