Scorning Man’s Laws, Twisting God’s
This paper is taken from Opposition Notes: An investigative series on those who oppose women’s rights and reproductive health, by Catholics for a Free Choice
After years of engaging in inappropriate electioneering with money raised as a tax- free charity, Catholic Answers has decided to restructure its activities rather than await its fate in an investigation begun by the Internal Revenue Service. Catholic Answers challenged election laws related to 501(c)(3) charities when it published a voter’s guide in 2004 that, in conjunction with accompanying documents, effectively constituted a plea to Catholics to vote Republican and accused Catholics who voted against what it deemed to be the five “non-negotiables” to be indirectly supporting “evil.” Catholics for a Free Choice filed a complaint in 2004 with the IRS about the guide and other Catholic Answers activities; an investigation ensued, and Catholic Answers’ leader, ex-attorney Karl Keating, opted not to defend his work but to play a shell game. Complaining of harassment, he simply moved the challenged electoral activity into a new organization called Catholic Answers Action, set up under a different section of the tax code.
