Is one "ok" (legally vs ethically) and another not ok, regarding retaining the LDS church's tax-exempt status?

http://www.opensecrets.org/usearch/index.php?q=corporation+of+the+president&cx=010677907462955562473%3Anlldkv0jvam&cof=FORID%3A11&searchButt_clean.x=3&searchButt_clean.y=39

I know the LDS church encouraged its members to do so and propped up, supported and funded the legislative efforts on Prop 8, but to give directly to a candidate thru the offices of the church---is that allowed?

Anyone know?

The Corporation of the Presiding Bishop that opensecrets lists as having given relatively small amts to Mitt Romney and various other RNC and GOP efforts, is just one entity that falls under the Corp of President of the Church of Latter Day Saints, as the Mormon church in America is known.


Can we find other such corps under that same church umbrella doing the same? How much total money then, would the church be giving toward these efforts as a bloc, overall, when added up all together? How much would their for-profit businesses added to these efforts, add up to? Do members know this? Would it matter?

I thought the LDS church funneled money received as tithing from members, through their for-profit businesses (ranches, preserves, Polynesian center, etc) first--so that they could then say that no tithing was ever used to do this stuff.

But this looks like it was done directly thru the church itself. I am probably missing something important here, and may not understand how these things work. I may be wrong in my assumptions.

Can someone explain this correctly, or better, to me?