WaPo: IRS apologizes for inappropriately targeting conservative political groups in 2012 election

[Tulane Skins Fan]

It is a pretty easy case. The constitution is clear.

Groups have the constitutional right to be approved as a 501c4 tax free organization after they voluntarily apply through a non-mandatory IRS process.

 

I think you're basically wrong.  I haven't read the complaint, but the media reports make it sound like an equal protection claim, and the government is allowed to discriminate against political parties under a rational basis test.  And, there certainly is a rational basis to ask the questions they asked.

 

Now, there is a first amendment issue, and you can get into a little different test and it can be some stricter scrutiny, but I'm not sure that will apply.

 

So, major point is I don't think its clear.  At this point, I tend to think they will have their case dismissed rather abruptly, though I could be wrong.  

[deejaydana]

The "most transparent Administration" in history has been letting/encouraging top appointees to use email alias accounts in violation of the law. This just gets dirtier and dirtier.   If you really want to read a great back story to this check out Lerner's illegal act in granting tax exempt status to Obama's brother. It's simply filthy.

[@DCGoldPants]

 

 

 

 

 

Cincinnati IRS employees say their actions started the targeting efforts

An IRS manager in Cincinnati elevated the first tea party case that
prompted the targeting of conservative groups, and another employee from
that Ohio office developed the initial search criteria, according to
the House oversight committee’s top Democrat.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Sunday revealed new details about the
IRS controversy that he said should absolve the White House of blame
for the issue, providing excerpts of interviews between IRS workers and
congressional investigators.

The partial transcripts, which Cummings shared in a memo
to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, shed light
on a key but redacted portion of the inspector general’s timeline: The
first event that prompted the targeting campaign.

 

A self-described “conservative Republican” manager from the
Cincinnati office told congressional investigators that he sent a tea
party case to Washington on Feb. 25, 2010 to help determine whether the
group should qualify for tax-exempt status, according to the excerpts.

A timeline from the inspector general’s report
listed an event on that same date as the genesis of the targeting
initiative, which first focused on groups with names including “tea
party,” “patriot” and “9/12,” a term associated with conservative
political commentator Glenn Beck.

A screening agent from the Cincinnati office told congressional
investigators that he developed the initial search criteria after the
conservative manager asked him to identify additional cases, according
to Cummings.

“I noticed that there were hundreds of these things,” the agent
reportedly said about tea party groups he discovered on the Internet.
“So some of the names I used — some of the terms — to find the tea
parties. Tea party went by other names.”

 

More from the link.

[@DCGoldPants]

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-13/darrell-issas-irs-investigation-is-falling-apart

Darrell Issa's IRS Investigation Is Falling Apart

When Republicans won control of the House of Representatives

in 2010, Representative Darrell Issa of California was supposed to

become a star. Issa, who made no secret of his ambition, took over the

Oversight and Government Reform Committee, vowing to use the power of

his chairmanship to stage hundreds of hearings and hold the Obama administration to account. Anticipating what he promised would be “constant battle,” the White House hired extra lawyers and braced for the onslaught.

But

Issa wasn’t the force people expected him to be. His biggest

investigation, into the botched anti-gun smuggling operation that left a

Border Patrol agent dead, incited right-wing talk radio listeners.

Beyond that, though, it barely registered. After two years in power,

Issa seemed more bark than bite.

Then came last month’s revelation

that IRS agents had singled out Tea Party groups for special scrutiny.

Here was an issue that seized public attention and posed a legitimate

threat to Obama. Since then, nobody in Congress has pushed harder than

Issa to pin the scandal on the White House.

But after a burst of

attention, Issa’s investigation appears to have stalled. Although he

turned up embarrassing material—has any government official been

humiliated quite like the IRS commissioner in the dorky video dressed up as Spock?—Issa hasn’t made the all-important connection to the White House. And he may not be able to. The news this week that he won’t release the full transcripts

of his interviews with IRS officials—interviews he selectively quoted

from to imply White House complicity—suggests that what they contain may

in fact exonerate the administration of the very charge Issa is

laboring so hard to prosecute.

 

More from the link.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

The "most transparent Administration" in history has been letting/encouraging top appointees to use email alias accounts in violation of the law. This just gets dirtier and dirtier.   If you really want to read a great back story to this check out Lerner's illegal act in granting tax exempt status to Obama's brother. It's simply filthy.

 

You know what's actually not transparent.... the congressional probe.  Leaking portions of testimony but not the whole thing.  Issa has blown this.

[mistertim]

WaPo: Breaking: Full House committee transcripts shed new light on genesis of IRS targeting

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/06/18/breaking-full-house-committee-transcripts-shed-new-light-on-genesis-of-irs-targeting/?hpid=z5

 

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have just released a full transcript of testimony from a key witness in the investigation of IRS targeting of conservatives — and it appears to confirm that the initial targeting did originate with a low-level employee in the Cincinnati office.

 

It also shows a key witness and IRS screening manager – a self described conservative Republican — denying any communication with the White House or senior IRS officials about the targeting.

 

The ranking Dem on the committee, Elijah Cummings, has promised that the account provided by the witness — the IRS manager in Cincinnati who supervised the screeners of applications for tax exempt status, the self-described conservative Republican — would undercut Committee chairman Darrell Issa’s suggestion that the decision to target conservative groups had originated in Washington.

 

I am absolutely shocked that Darrell Issa was basically just making **** up. 

[@DCGoldPants]

Just like so many of these investigations he's involved in, if they just stuck with what they had.....it would have still helped their political case with the voters. But when they keep overreaching and failing, it does become a joke.

 

There are legit concerns in all of this. But to go on TV, say that the WH was involved, etc etc. Then go back on release a full transcript so somebody from the other side does it and at it seems you were full of ****. Where does he go from here?

 

I guess my question is.....do GOPers even trust in Issa to do them right? Or is he just out there shooting from the hip with awful aim?

[The Evil Genius]

Issa is doing the dirty work (muckraking, lobbing incorrect accusations and not apologizing, etc.) for the GOP and his comrades probably love every minute of it.

 

But as a convicted felon, he's already gotten as far as he could ever go - so what does he have to lose?

 

I suspect he'll be back soon with some other looney tunes accusations that the conservative press will eat up

[Fergasun]

Truth doesn't matter... Issa has already convinced people there's a White House connection with all the barking he's doing.

 

I still can't decide if I think this is incompetence or intentional.  The IRS Story is that Washington bosses believed "Tea Party cases" was inclusive of all these 501c(4) organizations; and when they told their field offices to forward or scrutinize "Tea Party" they believed they were telling them to look at all political oragnizations.... but how did they not realize that only Tea Party cases were being held up?

[SnyderShrugged]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/new-irs-chief-inappropriate-screening-was-broader

 

NEW IRS CHIEF: INAPPROPRIATE SCREENING WAS BROADER

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Internal Revenue Service says inappropriate screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader and lasted longer than was previously disclosed.

Danny Werfel told reporters Monday that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he discovered inappropriate and wide-ranging criteria in lists screeners use to single out groups for careful examinations. He did not specify what terms were on the lists.

 

more at link

[Larry]

I miss the "munchout" smiley. 

[Bang]

Well, interestingly, 
'An internal IRS document obtained by The Associated Press said that besides "tea party," lists used by screeners to pick groups for close examination also included the terms "Israel," ''Progressive" and "Occupy." The document said an investigation into why specific terms were included was still underway.
 

from http://news.yahoo.com/irs-chief-inappropriate-screening-broad-193026105.html
 

jumping to conclusions and screaming like fools always works so well, doesn't it?

It's a scandal, but it sure doesn't seem like the poor persecuted republicans were the only victims..

Of course, the idea was never to get the story right from the right side of the media anyway.. it was to smear quickly, and hope the stain stuck.

 

Is everyone now finally tired of being led around by the nose by these "news" people who create this **** through omission of facts, or a lack of desire to find out the full story before bellowing their bull****?

Or is it just a moment to catch your breath before being sent off to scream about something else that isn't what it seems?

 

Oh, hey,, i understand Jim Carrey doesn't like violence in movies.

To arms!

 

~Bang

[Duckus]

I have worked with 501©4s, 501©3s, and PACs for a long time.

I worked for a 501©4 that got the same questionnaire a few years ago. I know other groups as well. Liberal groups.

Sometimes it takes years to get your status approved.

 

 

 

That was a wonderful story, but it has little to nothing to do with this issue.

First, the IRS purposely audited groups that were associated with the 'Tea Party' and other conservative movements.

Atthe same time, the IRS easily allowed groups that were associated with 'Progressive' and other liberal movements to go through easily.

If they hold up paperwork for years, it essentially rejects the Tea Party groups as they can't function until they are essentially put in limbo.

Read it at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/14/irs-tea-party-progressive-groups/2158831/

 

 

Actually, it does. I have done this work for a long time. I know the process very well.

Of all the groups targeted by the IRS, only 1/3 were conservative.

I have answered the exact same in-depth questionnaire that the Tea Party is crying about. It sucks.

It took over 450 days to get approved status as the last organization  worked at. I work in this field. This is my career. I know dozens of progressive 501©4s that have had a very hard time getting approved.

 

I tried to tell y'all.

[TheGoodBits]

And I still find myself tending to side with the IRS on this. This fits my initial impression, that they were simply helping ID groups that were likely not eligible, not necessarily specifically targeting conservative groups for political motives. And to be honest if subjecting groups with "tea party," or "progressive" to extra scrutiny because they were likely to be falsely applying then good for them for coming up with policies that help them do their job better. They shouldn't stop just because of this bull**** false controversy.

[NoCalMike]

Well now it looks like the other half of the story is dropping which indicates terms such as "blue" Progressive" etc etc

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/24/politics/irs-targeting/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

So now it is time for everyone to get mad, or everyone to pipe down.

 

The question I have is, if this was indeed going on towards group across the political spectrum which it now looks like it was, was this simply a matter of the IRS looking to get a closer look at groups who often act like shell groups for political activity?

[SnyderShrugged]

All groups, regardless of political stripes, should be up in arms over being targeted.   Maybe folks will start to realize that our battles arent really left vs right, rather establishment power hacks vs the rest of us.

[Larry]

Because, after all, the right for political groups to be exempt from both all taxes, and all campaign finance and disclosure laws, and, moreover, to be granted this status without having to answer questions, is a right, right? 

[Bang]

I think it's a clear indication that we should absolutely STOP just hopping on whatever notions the corrupt and compromised media tries to place in our heads.

Turn these people OFF.
They manipulate, they lie, and they omit facts (or fail to look for facts) that will change the entire way the scandal is viewed.

It's not shoddy journalism, it's a concerted effort to spread a narrative over facts. Facts obviously don't serve the agenda, and it's high time that is recognized. If it happened every once in a while, it could be blamed on bad reporting. But it happens so often that anyone should be able to tell the difference by now between reporting and commenting on the news, and creating the desired news on which to comment and push the agenda.
 

PLEASE be tired of it by now. PLEASE .. rather than defend that ****, recognize it for what it is, and what they've done to you.

At the very least,, at least recognize how often this manipulation happens... stop being used.

 

As I've said since my first forays into the Tailgate..   our biggest enemy that is dividing this country IS this corrupt and compromised media. They play us for fools, and use the foolishness they create to try and manipulate our process and subvert our country.

 

~Bang.

[Redskins Diehard]

Well now it looks like the other half of the story is dropping which indicates terms such as "blue" Progressive" etc etc

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/24/politics/irs-targeting/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

So now it is time for everyone to get mad, or everyone to pipe down.

 

The question I have is, if this was indeed going on towards group across the political spectrum which it now looks like it was, was this simply a matter of the IRS looking to get a closer look at groups who often act like shell groups for political activity?

It is times like this that I like to whatch Hannity and see him twist and turn to find a reason to be outraged. My prediction is the targetting is no longer the issue and now it is that the "administration doesn't know what is going on"

[skinsmarydu]

 

It is times like this that I like to whatch Hannity and see him twist and turn to find a reason to be outraged. My prediction is the targetting is no longer the issue and now it is that the "administration doesn't know what is going on"

Yep, that may be the case, but it didn't stop the Faux News Machine from trying to pin everything on the POTUS directly. 

[Redskins Diehard]

It is times like this that I like to watch Hannity and see him twist and turn to find a reason to be outraged. My prediction is the targetting is no longer the issue and now it is that the "administration doesn't know what is going on"

Yep, that may be the case, but it didn't stop the Faux News Machine from trying to pin everything on the POTUS directly. 

 

[/quote

Didn't the whole "Faux" News bit stop being clever 5 years ago? I'm not a fan of the network and can't stand the one guy I mentioned specifically but the whole "Faux" thing seems to be the way middle schoolers make their point.

[Bang]

Most middle schoolers can actually carry themselves better than Fox and the rest of the echo chamber does.
Most of them have grown out of screaming lies like a spoiled brat when they don't get their way. 
Can't say that for Fox.
I don't care if they're called Fox or Faux or false or whatever.. the fact is their model is to use half truths, manipulations and out and out lies for the purpose of generating anger, mistrust and fear. They cater to the stupid, and stampede the herd as often as they can and divide this country to the point where we are two armed camps, never listening to anyone but their own bugler.

 

if that hurts anyone's feelings, perhaps rather than getting irritated that someone thinks you're stupid, maybe try to figure out why so many people immediately turn you off when you mention you watch fox news, or listen to Rush, or quote Beck.

As much as everyone is loathe to admit, sometimes the problem IS them.

And people who continue to allow Fox and Rush and Hannity and Beck and all of their liars in arms to continue to spin them  into a tizzy to push their own agenda are most certainly a problem.

 

It's high time to get this poison out of us before it manages to tear this country apart.

That IS the goal, you know. Division & anger, blood sells.  If you think they give two ****s about the country in general, that is either purposeful naivete or a denseness that is very hard to comprehend among people who can read.

 

It's very difficult these days to get news without a slant. And to get it, you have to be willing to listen to sources you may not agree with, and to be willing to read multiple sources to sift out the common facts.
But the effort has to be made, because so long as their ratings stay up, and people repeat their same dumb-ass lies like parrots, then they have no reason to change. they're only encouraged to be worse. 

A propagandist likes nothing better than a stupid audience. People who ask questions for the purpose of seeking TRUTH and not agenda.. these are who upset their apple cart.
Truth has no side.

 

~Bang

[NoCalMike]

 

It is times like this that I like to whatch Hannity and see him twist and turn to find a reason to be outraged. My prediction is the targetting is no longer the issue and now it is that the "administration doesn't know what is going on"

Yep, that may be the case, but it didn't stop the Faux News Machine from trying to pin everything on the POTUS directly. 

 

Until Fox news attempts to become a news organization, then no the whole "faux news" thing isn't outdated. Not in the least. I won't try to claim that other networks don't have their mishaps and slips as well but Fox is shameless in this practice and the IRS "scandal" is only the latest example.

 

My comment about Hannity a few pages back, btw was in regards to he and and the network trying to push the false narrative that the targeting was coming from the Whitehouse as "retribution for political enemies" it was the false outrage drumming up more non-things to be mad about.

 

As far as the IRS targeting goes. Now that it is shown that they weren't targeting one side of the political spectrum over the other, the question still deserves to be asked, was the IRS simply doing it's job my taking a closer look at possibly shell companys/organizations that were dummy fronts for purely political groups and committees that shouldn't have been granted tax exempt status?  If so, what exactly were they doing wrong?

[The Evil Genius]

Maybe it's time to scrap the entire 501 ( c) (4) program? 

[Redskins Diehard]

It is times like this that I like to whatch Hannity and see him twist and turn to find a reason to be outraged. My prediction is the targetting is no longer the issue and now it is that the "administration doesn't know what is going on"

Yep, that may be the case, but it didn't stop the Faux News Machine from trying to pin everything on the POTUS directly.

 

Until Fox news attempts to become a news organization, then no the whole "faux news" thing isn't outdated. Not in the least. I won't try to claim that other networks don't have their mishaps and slips as well but Fox is shameless in this practice and the IRS "scandal" is only the latest example.

 

My comment about Hannity a few pages back, btw was in regards to he and and the network trying to push the false narrative that the targeting was coming from the Whitehouse as "retribution for political enemies" it was the false outrage drumming up more non-things to be mad about.

 

As far as the IRS targeting goes. Now that it is shown that they weren't targeting one side of the political spectrum over the other, the question still deserves to be asked, was the IRS simply doing it's job my taking a closer look at possibly shell companys/organizations that were dummy fronts for purely political groups and committees that shouldn't have been granted tax exempt status?  If so, what exactly were they doing wrong?

I do not like or respect Sean Hannity one single bit. I do not go to Fox News for information and will flip on "the Five" occasionally to see a hot chick chime in on the days topics and to Sean Hannity to be entertained by his twisting and turning. I just think that the "clever" rename as "Faux" news is just played out and adds nothing to the discussion.