Politicians and mortal sin

I'm not Catholic, so there may be some subtlety I'm missing.

I gather there is some dispute in Catholic circles about giving communion to pro-abortion politicians. Some distinguish between those who vote for abortion and those who make it part of their platform, but I'm not convinced that this distinguishes much. At any rate, the argument against is that they are complicit in mortal sin and not in a state to receive communion, and the argument in favor seems to be that even though the politician might be (is) complicit in mortal sin, for pastoral reasons it is better to give them communion to keep them in the church.

I've heard darker suspicions--the kindest being that some bishops are happy enough with the other programs their politicians support that they look the other way about abortion.

There's another of the mortal sins that gets overlooked a lot: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." I don't know that going to confession is all that useful if you fully intend to go back out and keep lying about your political opponents. (I'm told that actually repenting is part of the process.)

And if I understand the moral calculus used, since the lies are intended to do serious harm to another's reputation, they're mortal and not venial.

Especially around election time, it would seem that a priest could assume, until proven otherwise, that politicians are "in a state of mortal sin" and should not recieve communion. This would apply to the partisans as well, but they're not as easy to name as the elect.

One section of that catechism, number 2477, seems to be talking of Facebook use. Or perhaps of the newspaper. Certainly of politicos...

Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty:

• of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;
• of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them;
• of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them

Interesting: 2284 and 2285 "The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter." We hear the most scandalous lies this time of year, and the temptation to rash judgment and sharing them.

Why do politicians get communion?

Yes, I know you can find some who try to keep on the straight and narrow. I wish we had more of them.