The IRS "Story" is a Karl Rove Retaliation for Leaking Info About Crossroads GPS--

[msanthrope]

The same IRS office that deliberately targeted conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status in the run-up to the 2012 election released nine pending confidential applications of conservative groups to ProPublica late last year.

snip

In response to a request for the applications for 67 different nonprofits last November, the Cincinnati office of the IRS sent ProPublica applications or documentation for 31 groups. Nine of those applications had not yet been approved—meaning they were not supposed to be made public. (We made six of those public, after redacting their financial information, deeming that they were newsworthy.)

snip

One of the applications the IRS released to ProPublica was from Crossroads GPS, the largest social-welfare nonprofit involved in the 2012 election. The group, started in part by GOP consultant Karl Rove, promised the IRS that any effort to influence elections would be “limited.” The group spent more than $70 million from anonymous donors in 2012.


Applications were sent to ProPublica from five other social welfare groups that had told the IRS that they wouldn’t spend money to sway elections. The other groups ended up spending more than $5 million related to the election, mainly to support Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Much of that money was spent by the Arizona group Americans for Responsible Leadership. The remaining four groups that told the IRS they wouldn’t engage in political spending were Freedom Path, Rightchange.com II, America Is Not Stupid and A Better America Now.

http://www.propublica.org/article/irs-office-that-targeted-tea-party-also-disclosed-confidential-docs

So, the Republican-appointed Commissioner of the IRS resigned in Nov. 20012, after a failure to keep a lid on this office.

This 'scandal' isn't about pissant Tea Party groups--it's about the fact that Karl Rove's group was outed before he wanted it to be. And it's about the fact that plenty of these groups are filing now, for the 2014 election, and you aren't supposed to know about them.

And how many DUers were expressing poutrage? You Better Believe It! nt

[gateley]

1. How did this story come to light, anyway? I don't think I've heard. Do you know?

[msanthrope]

5. Which story? The IRS investigations? From the murky depths of the right-wing blogosphere

last Friday, the story appeared.

[gateley]

7. Yeah, that's what I was referring to. How did it get INTO the murky depths

of the right wing blogosphere, I wonder. In other words, I wonder who "leaked" this (not sure if "leaked" is appropriate).

[msanthrope]

8. Not a leak--a deliberate plant and germination of a fake scandal. It's the Travel Office all over

again.

Everybody's screaming about these poor widdle grassroots Tea Party organizations, but missing the big fish that got outed--KARL ROVE.....

[Niceguy1]

10. the inspector general s office

investigated and found problems. Part of that report was leaked before it was released.in the end the source of the story was the government oversight

[gateley]

24. Thanks.

[emulatorloo]

2. Needs to be on the greatest page.

[msanthrope]

6. Along with a list of who pushed this fake scandal/meme---it's the goddamn Travel Office all

over again.

[Number23]

22. Any chance that list will be coming out soon? I mean, we know who pushed the meme here on DU

but who pushed it in any place meaningful or important?

[msanthrope]

23. Well, I can name a few self-important places, but no one very meaningful. nt

[randome]

3. Makes more sense than anything else I've heard on this.

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[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
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[msanthrope]

9. I enjoyed watching the hysteria in GD today. You? nt

[randome]

13. Yeah, but it seemed to lack a little something this time.

Can't quite put my finger on it. Learning that the Benghazi email was altered helped, I think. Perhaps things aren't always as first reported? Is that possible? I'll need to give that some thought.

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
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[msanthrope]

15. The faked Benghazi email did take the wind out of the sails. But it seems the pitchforks are out

for poor Eric Holder.

[underpants]

18. When a new tax exemption group is created or there is a large number of applicants

there should be more investigation into them. The rightwingers were 75 of 300 - I haven't seen who the others were (I am sure I can find it) but that apparently doesn't matter.

Still this looks bad and the long explanation (one sentence) has already been drown out. The apology was not needed and stinks of RW browbeating.

Bengazi is a nowhere story
IRS looks bad and it does stink
DOJ/AP is likewise gone to the bubblemedia but that one I think the DOJ was not only legal on but right about.

[Frustratedlady]

4. Well, I can go back to depending on my gut feeling, as

the first thought I had on the IRS "scandal" was that it had to have involved Karl.

It has always amazed me that they have to state they will have limited influence on elections when the group is concentrating on raising money for elections.

I'm relieved to see this post. Thank you.

[CakeGrrl]

11. You mean the Obama administration isn't coming apart at the seams like the MSM implies?

No way!

[malaise]

12. Please tell Tweety

He needs some help

[randome]

14. I caught some of his outrage yesterday. It was, as usual, a little much.

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[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
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[msanthrope]

19. I'll write it on a bottle of Jameson's. nt

[Tippy]

26. HE SUR DOES....I couldn't wait to find the remote this AM

But I found it the only thing that bothered me was he lookd really bad recon he was hung over or what?

[malaise]

29. Tweety is a diabetic

He has bad days - looks like someone told him he overdid it yesterday

[Tippy]

30. He over does it lot...He makes me so mad at times...

[FSogol]

16. K&R. n/t

[Samantha]

17. And the media is helping the claim of Obama's administration being scandalized by these 3 issues

Except for a few minutes of Steny Hoyer's time, I saw no prominent Dem step out and say these were manufactured allegations to stoke the right-wing base. Maybe I missed a couple?

MSNBC while many see as liberal might have some liberal hosts but they sure do spend a lot of time airing right-wing outrage. I am so sick of it, I don't watch any more.

Sam

[Number23]

20. K&R That's some excellent sleuthing, Msanthrope.

[msanthrope]

21. Thank you! nt

[one_voice]

25. This needs more eyes...

K&R.

[grasswire]

27. kick

Dems lost the initial PR war on this, allowing framing by the RW.

It's time to remember what the RW did to the Clintons. Daily drumbeat of "scandals"

[msanthrope]

28. Scandals helped on by ratfuckers and enablers. nt