Congressional investigators this week released emails suggesting that staff at the Federal Election Commission have been engaged in their own conservative targeting, with help from the IRS's infamous Lois Lerner. This means more than just an expansion of the probe to the FEC. It's a new link to the Obama team.
In May this column noted that the targeting of conservatives started in 2008, when liberals began a coordinated campaign of siccing the federal government on political opponents. The Obama campaign helped pioneer this tactic.
In late summer of 2008, Obama lawyer Bob Bauer took issue with ads run against his boss by a 501(c)(4) conservative outfit called American Issues Project. Mr. Bauer filed a complaint with the FEC, called on the criminal division of the Justice Department to prosecute AIP, and demanded to see documents the group had filed with the IRS.
Thanks to Congress's newly released emails, we now know that FEC attorneys went to Ms. Lerner to pry out information about AIP—the organization the Obama campaign wanted targeted. An email from Feb. 3, 2009, shows an FEC attorney asking Ms. Lerner "whether the IRS had issued an exemption letter" to AIP, and requesting that she share "any information" on the group. Nine minutes after Ms. Lerner received this FEC email, she directed IRS attorneys to fulfill the request. This matters because FEC staff didn't have permission from the Commission to conduct this inquiry. It matters because the IRS is prohibited from sharing confidential information, even with the FEC
We should all be concerned when the power of the Federal Government is used toAnd yet, not one conservative group was denied their 501 status by the IRS. Not even one.
What a scandal.
And yet, not one conservative group was denied their 501 status by the IRS. Not even one.
What a scandal.
I think if you delay it long enough, never approving yet never denying, that is, in effect, denying. Speaking of denying, you cannot deny that, can you?And yet, not one conservative group was denied their 501 status by the IRS. Not even one.
What a scandal.
just delayed for over 2 years that has the same effect as being denied, at least when you are denied you can appeal the decision which makes the IRS turn over its paper work
liberal group got their approval as short as 9 months
Thats the problem with conservatives, they have too much imagination and too little facts.I think if you delay it long enough, never approving yet never denying, that is, in effect, denying. Speaking of denying, you cannot deny that, can you?
And if GWB had been doing this? You would have been voiceless from screaming so much and so loudly that he needs impeached [ or worse ] ...and there would not be a single hair that you would not have pulled out of your poor head... I can only imagine how many bald headed liberals would have been walking around like awakened zombies with vengeance on their "minds".
Is there any evidence that Obama personally had anything to do with it?
We should all be concerned when the power of the Federal Government is used to
suppress peoples opinions.
It doesn't matter which side does it, the precedent is dangerous for liberty.
just delayed for over 2 years that has the same effect as being denied, at least when you are denied you can appeal the decision which makes the IRS turn over its paper work
liberal group got their approval as short as 9 months
I doubt he had anything to do with it in the first place.Apparently he is trying to have as little to do with it as possible.
Thats the problem with conservatives, they have too much imagination and too little facts.
Is there any evidence that Obama personally had anything to do with it? Because if GWB had been investigated without any evidence like Obama is, I would denounce it the same as I am doing now.
There weren't as many liberal groups applying for 501 status and many of their applications were delayed as well and some were even denied.
This is false, but nothing in the world will change your mind about it. Your mind is on Obamaphobia.
.WASHINGTON -- In February 2010, the Champaign Tea Party in Illinois received approval of its tax-exempt status from the IRS in 90 days, no questions asked.
That was the month before the Internal Revenue Service started singling out Tea Party groups for special treatment. There wouldn't be another Tea Party application approved for 27 months.
In that time, the IRS approved perhaps dozens of applications from similar liberal and progressive groups, a USA TODAY review of IRS data shows.
As applications from conservative groups sat in limbo, groups with liberal-sounding names had their applications approved in as little as nine months. With names including words like "Progress" or "Progressive," the liberal groups applied for the same tax status and were engaged in the same kinds of activities as the conservative groups
Actually, I was referring to your comment, pal.And democrats have no imagination and too many facts, that it? Give me a break, lady.
Who in their right mind actually believes that a president, any president personally micromanages every single agency down to who dots their "i" and crosses their "t's"? Well, you do apparently.Without any evidence? 1. Are you saying that, despite all the reports and the investigations, that there was no ideological/religious targeting being done by the IRS even though it is all pretty well admitted, documented and established? 2. Under which branch of federal government is this responsibility? 3. Who is currently the officeholder who must assume this responsibility? 4. What is your defense of this person?
The evidence that Bush was cherry picking and stove piping the evidence was there before the accusations. Republicans on the other hand are looking for evidence to fit their accusations. See the difference?So let me guess, you were all for GWB going into Iraq? Didnt have any problems with there being no new WMDs being found, right? You defended GWB and administration when they were going through the Abu Ghraib difficulties? And you still do not find fault with the Bush administration on Abu Ghraib, right? You do not blame GWB for the financial crisis?
I doubt he had anything to do with it in the first place.
It's the IRS's responsibility to scrutinize political groups applying for tax emempt status for their political activities. The tea party is a political group and so their very essense is a red flag for the IRS scrutinize them.
Because the conservative groups were more political?
Is anybody but you denying that the tea party is a political organization and not a charity?Almost nobody thinks this was done even handedly [ except maybe you and a few other liberals here ] and scrutinty was heightened on groups identified as aligned with tea party ideals. You can rationalize and/or ignore what has been proven already, but as an honest and intelligent person I do not have that same recourse.
This from The Hill [ not known as a r/w news mag:
"Liberal groups seeking tax-exempt status faced less IRS scrutiny than Tea Party groups, according to the Treasury Department’s inspector general. J. Russell George, Treasury’s inspector general for tax administration, told Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) in a letter dated Wednesday that the IRS did not use inappropriate criteria to scrutinize groups with “progressives” in their name seeking tax-exempt status."
Read more: Treasury IG: Liberal groups weren't targeted by IRS like Tea Party - The Hill's On The Money
I havent seen any evidince of that.
The Tea Party movement is an American political movement that advocates reducing the U.S. national debt and federal budget deficit by reducing U.S. government spending and taxes.[1][2] The movement has been called partly conservative,[3] partly libertarian,[4] and partly populist.[5] It has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009.[6][7][8]
Tea Party movement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There, now you have.
Well, missy, you need to learn to express yourself a little more precisely perhaps. You used the plural form "conservatives" [ I am only one ]. And, we see that whatever kind of liberal you are, you, apparently, have not sufficient imagination to figure out the reality of what went on here... even with all the reporting on it.Actually, I was referring to your comment, pal.
Who is ultimately responsible, huh? One of the only Democrats I have ever had real respect for was Harry Truman, and do you know what his famous statement was? "The buck stops here." Meaning the president has to take ultimate responsibility for what goes on in his administration. So, I would say most of us who are sane, people who understand how the system works and not how to break it...we would expect that. Looks like from how you answered the GWB questions below, it was all GWs fault...kinda hypocritical dont you think?Who in their right mind actually believes that a president, any president personally micromanages every single agency down to who dots their "i" and crosses their "t's"? Well, you do apparently.
Ha ha ha ha...yeah. You were right there, huh, inside the Bush administration? You knew even before the media and Congress that there were no WMDs...wow, how did you know? You surely believed him, Bush, wouldn/t/didn't question his motives, like I am supposed to believe ol Barry O, right? More evidence that you are a laughable hypocrite [ and this is where the democrats with their "too many "facts" plays its role... you have no idea what you are talking about and had no evidence of cherry picking, stove piping, so you make stuff up to be "facts" ...speaking of pipes, now wondering what might be in yours???The evidence that Bush was cherry picking and stove piping the evidence was there before the accusations. Republicans on the other hand are looking for evidence to fit their accusations. See the difference?
First of all, seems you have a problem with singular and plurals. The tea parties, there are quite a few and they are independent, are not all that were targeted. Conservative and religious groups were also targeted, many of them. Have you read much about this at all? I am getting the distinct feeling you watched MSLSD or whatever that lame liberal "news" cable channel is and just got their talking points.Is anybody but you denying that the tea party is a political organization and not a charity?
Plural, tea parties... and there is nothing that says they cannot be political...they are allowed as long as campaigning and lobbying are not their main functions. And you do not really know anything but what the lamestream media feeds you about the tea parties, so do not pretend as if you know what they were doing and not doing.... most of those in the know, even most from the other side, now realize that... I would suggest watching the youtube on the House committee investigating [CSPAN videoing, no bias expressed ] and watch these, a few representative groups of the many targeted, and see what hell and hoops the IRS put them through...you obviously haven't any real clue.The tea party by their very nature are political. So if they are trying to get their political activities subsidized by the taxpayer then they should not only be scutinized, but they should be denied 501 status.
This is false, but nothing in the world will change your mind about it. Your mind is on Obamaphobia.
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