Tax Complaint Filed Against Anti-Abortion Groups

26 Jul 2006 // A watchdog organization in Washington has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate two South Dakota groups that promote sexual abstinence and oppose abortion.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint alleging that the Alpha Center and the National Abstinence Clearing House violated federal tax law by failing to report lobbying activities and by exceeding the limit on lobbying by charitable organizations.

Both organizations are headed by Leslee Unruh of Sioux Falls, a well-known abortion opponent. Unruh could not be immediately reached for comment today.

The complaint is based on tax forms filed by the Alpha Center and National Abstinence Clearing House for 2003 and 2004. Unruh was registered as a lobbyist for the South Dakota legislative session this year, but not for 2003 or 2004.