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So. Dakota non-profits cleared of ethics accusations

An investigation by the Internal Revenue Service has cleared a crisis pregnancy center and an abstinence information clearinghouse, both in South Dakota, of wrongdoing, after following up on a complaint lodged against them last year by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.



CREW's complaint was against the National Abstinence Clearinghouse and the Alpha Center, both located in Sioux Falls, according to Gary McCaleb of Alliance Defense Fund, an attorney for the two non-profits. He says a multi-page letter accused the clearinghouse of political lobbying and the pregnancy center of intervening in a school board campaign.

He also believes when such investigations start, it detracts from the focus and work of churches, ministries, and other non-profit pro-life and pro-abstinence groups. Unfortunately, says McCaleb, there are few requirements at the IRS for such inquiries to start other than a complaint.

"Unlike a court of law, [which] demands that you come in and tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth [when] you bring a complaint, the IRS doesn't require that," the attorney explains. Subsequently the federal agency launched an investigation -- an investigation that McCaleb says resulted in "almost a year and a half of misery based on somebody writing a nasty letter and clipping some newspaper articles to it."

McCaleb says while the IRS has determined after investigating that there is no reason to change either organization's tax-exempt status, it is unfortunate that activist groups like CREW willingly try to intimidate pro-life and pro-abstinence organizations, including churches.