Catholics for a Free Choice has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service alleging abuse of the 501(c)(3) tax status of Priests for Life, a militant antiabortion group headed by Fr. Frank Pavone.

The action comes as the 2006 campaign season heats up -- and tax abuse by tax-exempt organizations, particularly those of the religious right, are becoming a bigger issue.
After years of controversy, last Februrary the IRS announced a major education and enforcement program. The IRS sought to make the matter as plain and simple as possible:

"...all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office."

In a press release today, Catholics for a Free Choice, declared that Priests for Life, "has issued a direct challenge to the Internal Revenue Service and started recruiting "volunteers who want to do some concrete work to elect pro-life candidates in 2006."