IRS investigates politicking

WASHINGTON -- The Internal Revenue Service received 237 complaints about improper politicking by tax-exempt organizations, including churches, during the 2006 elections, according to a report released June 1. However, only 100 cases were retained for examination by IRS officials in 2006. Forty-four of these cases involved churches; 56 were non-church organizations.

In 2004, the IRS received 166 complaints as part of the agency's Political Activities Compliance Initiative and retained 110 cases for examination. All but five of these had been closed by March 30, the report said. Of the closed cases involving churches, 42 were given written advisories and four were found not to have been involved in political intervention.

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