I have a dumb question...what exactly did the IRS do that was wrong or illegal?

[titaniumsalute]

I have been away from DU for quite some time. Mostly traveling and out of the country. I have, of course, been keeping up with the news cycles. But I have been discussing many current issues with others.

I know the IRS somewhat targeted these "Tea Party" groups when they filed the 501(c)4 statuses. I don't see the big deal. These are groups that are anti-tax anyway. Why not see if they are just trying to screw the system and get a free pass. I can't see how anything illegal was done. I head John Boner calling for jail time. For what exactly??

Anyone care to enlighten a not so bright liberal here?

[peace13]

1. They asked groups specifically if they were affiliated with the Tea Party.

Boner is a gas bag. There is a special place for him and the gas will heat the furnace for eternity.

[Seeking Serenity]

2. Allegedly, the Cincinnati office

was subjecting the "Tea Party," or "Patriot" etc., groups' 501(c)(4) applications to extra scrutiny the groups that had words like "Progressive" or the like in their names did not have to go through. And those groups with "liberal" sounding names, had their applications approved within about 6 months, while the "conservative" sounding groups had to wait much longer.

Illegal?? Probably not.

Politically problematic? Absolutely. And I'm saddened that so many here refuse to see how politically damaging this is. It LOOKS like (and it's not difficult for Joe and Mary Voter to understand this) groups opposed to the Administration were singled out by an agency of the Administration.

This is just the kind of thing that can resonate with the public (since generally the general public has a low opinion of the IRS anyway).

[titaniumsalute]

5. I do agree that it looks politically bad

The BIG brother is watching thing freaks many people out.

[DCBob]

9. I think it was simply a matter of narrowing the search to groups more likely to break the rules.

They dont have the manpower to thoroughly scrutinize every application. I suspect they have other "red flag" criteria as well that has nothing to do with politics at all. Its similar to the way they decide who to audit.

[Chathamization]

10. Yes, but the reason it looks bad

is because the report only looked at the treatment of Tea Party type groups (not other groups on the same list), so the media (who never read the report, it seems) is acting like the Tea Party type groups were the only ones on the list (they weren't) and not reporting that they made up a minority of the groups sent to the special unit, and the the administration has made the calculation that they're better off going along with the Republicans and getting outraged.

So yes, when people ignore the facts and everyone joins a witch hunt, it might seem like something bad happened. But if you're worried about the political damage, you might want to think about how we react to manufactured scandals - because I got news for you, the manufactured scandals won't stop coming.

[graham4anything]

3. Nothing. nothing at all. Better question-why is the NRA tax free??? Audit them.

[cali]

6. so President Obama was wrong to apologize and the IRS head was wrong to resign?

lol

[darkangel218]

7. Yes he was wrong.

IRS had a reason to scrutinize those groups a lil deeper. They followed procedures and now POTUS apologizes for nothing.


Gah.......

[darkangel218]

4. They tried to do their job

Part of which is to question tax exempt sects and such.
But they should've known better, fundies are above the law

[Sunlei]

8. probably nothing wrong. IMO the giant tax free political charities muck IRS to shield themselves.

Takes about a year for some charities to pass muster with the IRS. A lot of back and forth questions.

The states should take issue with all these thousands of political non profits. Many do not have to pay sales tax or state taxes. They are not supposted to be political and everyone knows the Tea Party promotes politics.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

11. The IRS, with its 100,000 employees, selectively enforces the law. Some believe that the selective

enforcement should be random in nature.

Some otherwise believe that the selective enforcement should be targeted towards those who have openly expressed an opposition towards paying taxes, including tax-avoiding right wing groups.

Those in the tax-avoiding right wing groups don't want to be targets of the selective enforcment.

President Barrack I'm-a-Centrist Obama agrees with them. The scandal, IMO for liberals, is that Obama agrees with them.

[ananda]

12. Well, the didn't target the Koch Bros and Karl Rove for one.

..