THE REAL I.R.S. SCANDAL

[xchrom]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/05/irs-scandal-tea-party-oversight.html




Washington’s scandal machinery, rusty from recent disuse, is cranking back up to speed due to the alleged targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service. Darrell Issa, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said, “It’s the kind of thing that scares the American people to their core. When Americans are being targeted for audits based on their political beliefs, that needs to change.” Senator Susan Collins, of Maine, called on the President to apologize. George Will said President Obama could be impeached. Obama himself is taking the path of contrition. At a news conference Monday, the President said, “If in fact I.R.S. personnel engaged in the kind of practices that have been reported on and were intentionally targeting conservative groups, then that’s outrageous. And there’s no place for it.” More hearings, with more outrage, are planned.

In light of this, it might be useful to ask: Did the I.R.S. actually do anything wrong?

The stories began to come to light on Friday, when the Associated Press reported that a draft report by a Treasury Department inspector general had found that the I.R.S. subjected certain Tea Party-affiliated groups to undue scrutiny. Lois Lerner, head of the I.R.S. tax-exempt-organizations division, said the agency was “apologetic” for what she termed “absolutely inappropriate” actions by lower-level workers.

It’s important to review why the Tea Party groups were petitioning the I.R.S. anyway. They were seeking approval to operate under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. This would require them to be “social welfare,” not political, operations. There are significant advantages to being a 501(c)(4). These groups don’t pay taxes; they don’t have to disclose their donors—unlike traditional political organizations, such as political-action committees. In return for the tax advantage and the secrecy, the 501(c)(4) organizations must refrain from traditional partisan political activity, like endorsing candidates.

[madokie]

1. I see this for what it is

a republicon operative trying to embarrass this administration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Shulman

[Mnemosyne]

7. You got it, madokie. nt

[magellan]

2. It'd be much easier to be as "concerned" as Issa and the others

...if they bothered batting an eyelash when the IRS and FBI target liberals or groups perceived to be liberal.

Have conservative groups like the Tea Baggers even been looked at by the IRS before??

[JDPriestly]

3. If Issa can prove that there was targeting and that it was based on political considerations,

then there is a scandal.

But if there was targeting and it was based on something other than political considerations, then there is no scandal.

And again, if there was no targeting based on anything rather than the fact that the applications for charitable status were from organizations that sounded like political campaign fronts rather than real causes or citizen efforts, then there is no scandal.

This "scandal" was in Cincinnati. It's a relatively conservative area there between Southern Ohio and Kentucky. Unless the IRS folks were from somewhere other than that area, I have trouble believing they had a liberal bias. But, I could be wrong.

[gtar100]

4. From the stories I've heard, the IRS was right in going after who they did.

Many of the "targets" were actually formed to be politically active with little else as far as an agenda was concerned.

http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/05/10/the-irs-was-wrong-to-target-the-tea-party-they-shouldve-gone-after-all-501c4s/

"Even at their most attentive, the IRS is treating these groups with kid gloves. Now they’re going to be tempted to leave them almost entirely alone."

My money would be on the repugs going after this simply because they want their own cash cows left alone. They could care less about equal treatment under the law. I've never *never* seen a scandal the republicans go after that wasn't full of phoney outrage. They could give a rat's ass about fairness and justice.

[uponit7771]

5. Now that I know about this I'm starting to thing the "leak" was done on purpose

[Johonny]

6. You know what would be nice for the media to do

actually look at a random sampling of the offended groups and see if say they actually are what they claim to be...