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This spring, a handful of bishops, including Archbishop Bishop Michael Sheridan of nearby Colorado Critics say the bishops are playing politics with God and using Communion for leverage. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a religious liberty watchdog group, has called for Sheridan's diocese to be investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for what it calls electioneering, which is against federal law for a church.Springs went further, saying Catholics who vote for supporters of abortion, stem-cell research or euthanasia risk their own eligibility for the sacrament.Raymond Burke of St. Louis, proclaimed that Catholic presidential candidate John Kerry should not present himself for Communion because his public votes defy the core teachings of his church. Kerry is an adamantly pro-choice Democrat Forty-eight Catholic congressmen wrote the bishops last month stating the need for representatives to sometimes separate "public actions" from "personal beliefs." Denial of Communion could discourage Catholics from entering politics and encourage anti-Catholic bigotry, they said. who says he personally opposes abortion.