© Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty ImagesJon Ponder (L) and his wife Jamie Ponder (R) look on as President Donald Trump signs a document granting clemency to Ponder during the virtual RNC on Aug. 25, 2020.
"JON PONDER's story is inspirational," Vogel wrote on Twitter. "But should he be endorsing a candidate for president while being identified as the founder & CEO of Hope for Prisoners, which — as a 501(c)(3) non-partisan non-profit group — is barred from participating in partisan politics?"
It's a good question to the uneducated eye and an even better one for the deceptive media, which knows better but hopes its readers don't.
While federal tax laws do prohibit 501(c)(3) groups from being used for partisan electioneering, they don't ban individuals who happen to work at them from having political opinions and making them public. Former President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea ran the Clinton Foundation with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status for years while campaigning for Hillary Clinton. Just last week, Michelle Obama, who co-chairs the 501(c)(3) group "When We All Vote," also enjoyed a prime-time speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention last week.
Ponder received a presidential pardon Tuesday after spending time in prison for a bank robbery. Upon his release, Ponder emerged a devout Christian and launched "Hope for Prisoners" to help those coming out of the system to achieve true rehabilitation, steering clear of recidivism.
Watch Ponder's inspirational story here:
Tristan Justice is a staff writer at The Federalist focusing on the 2020 presidential campaigns. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at Tristan@thefederalist.com.
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