The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service charging that advertisements financed by a nonprofit conservative group are political and violate the organization’s tax exemption, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal report.

Commercials airing in Congressional districts in Kansas, Michigan, and Missouri—sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, an organization registered as a charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code—do not identify individual candidates but attack Obama administration policies, such as the stimulus package and the health-care overhaul.

An affiliated group registered under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code, Americans for Prosperity, is running ads in the same districts that do target Democratic candidates by name.

Jennifer Crider, a spokeswoman for the Democratic group, told The Journal that the sets of ads are “so clearly dovetailing on the political activity, they are doing electioneering.”

Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, told The Times that the complaint “is without merit” and that the Democrats filed it because they they “are scared of the impact” the group is making.

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