Lerner said the practice, initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati, was wrong and she apologized while speaking at a conference in Washington.
◼ IRS APOLOGIZES FOR TARGETING TEA PARTY GROUPS IN 2012 - Tony Lee/Breitbart
◼ IRS APOLOGIZES FOR TARGETING CONSERVATIVE GROUPS - AP
In some cases, groups were asked for their list of donors, which violates IRS policy in most cases, she said.
"That was wrong. That was absolutely incorrect, it was insensitive and it was inappropriate. That's not how we go about selecting cases for further review," Lerner said at a conference sponsored by the American Bar Association.
"The IRS would like to apologize for that," she added.
◼ FLASHBACK 2009: OBAMA JOKES ABOUT IRS AUDITING POLITICAL ENEMIES - Ben Shapiro/Breitbart
As it turns out, the IRS under President Obama routinely gave special scrutiny for groups with the terms “tea party” or “patriots” in their titles. His little joke doesn’t read much like a joke anymore.
◼ Tea Party Rejects IRS Apology - ABC
◼ The IRS was wrong to target the tea party. They should’ve gone after all 501(c)4s. - Ezra Klein/Washington Post
Let’s be very clear: because the Internal Revenue Service holds so much private data, and because it can make people’s lives absolutely miserable, it is of paramount importance in our political system that it both is, and is perceived as, an apolitical entity. If it discriminated against tea party groups that attempted to register as 501(c)4 social welfare organizations, then that’s a grave offense, and it needs to be investigated thoroughly and dealt with severely.
But the particular bias people are angry about is the opposite of the bias they should be angry about. The problem wasn’t that the IRS was skeptical of tea party groups registering as 501(c)4s. It’s that it hasn’t been skeptical of Organizing for America, Crossroads GPS, Priorities USA and Heritage Action Fund registering as 501(c)4s. The IRS should be treating all these groups equally and appropriately — which would mean much more harshly.
◼ Mark Levin may have prompted IRS-conservative group revelations - Jeff Poor/Daily Caller
Conservative radio talker Mark Levin appears to have touched off the investigation into Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative political groups back in March 2012.
In a letter last year on behalf of the Landmark Legal Foundation, an organization he heads, Levin requested an investigation into what he called “misconduct.”
ir◼ 10 crazy things the IRS asked Tea Party groups - Mary Katherine Ham/HotAir
1. We’re gonna need all your direct and indirect communication. “‘Direct and indirect communications’ is profoundly chilling of First Amendment rights, ” said David French, senior counsel for American Center for Law & Justice, which has been representing 27 conservative organizations met with IRS inquisitions. “It’s so vague as to be impossible to comply with.”
2. What do we need to know about your members? Nothing much. Just ALL THE THINGS!
3. Your present and past employees and their relationships, please.
4. No, family members of past and present board members and employees are not exempt, nor are their activities with other groups. Why do you ask?
5. If someone in this country’s free press has ever interacted with you in any way shape or form about your free speech activities, we’re going to need documentation of that.
6. By the way, all the insane, intrusive information we’re asking for is understood to be public once you’ve given it to us, so please include only the most flattering possible photos of your children and pets.
7. There are very specific requirements for completing and submitting this insane, intrusive information we’re asking for. Does it feel like you’re running hurdles yet, Lolo?
8. Don’t forget to read the continued very specific requirements for completing and submitting this insane, intrusive information.
9. If you do not comply with these very specific requirements for completing and submitting this insane, intrusive application, you will go directly back to Start, you will not pass Go, and let’s face it, we will probably collect $200.
10. Please predict the future reliably. Thank you for your time.
Detailed pics of (often illegal) questions/forms at the link above.
All of the examples above are taken from actual IRS correspondence received by ACLJ’s 27 clients. There were many versions of the in-depth questionnaire sent to different organizations, suggesting there was more than one agent or one office involved. Though IRS officials blamed “low-level” employees in the Cincinnati office, which is the central IRS office in charge of tax exemptions, French said the abuse was far more widespread. ACLJ’s clients dealt with inquiries from IRS offices from “coast to coast.” Of ACLJ’s 27 clients, 15 finally had their status approved after 6-7 months with legal help. There are 12 groups whose status remains in limbo.
WashPost editorial board notices Obama, Jack Lew have not issued any personal statements on IRS targeting Tea Party groups.
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) May 11, 2013
◼ AP shocker: Senior IRS officials knew conservative groups were being targeted - Twitchy
Would you believe the revelation yesterday that “low-level employees” at the IRS were targeting Tea Party groups isn’t the end of the story? The Associated Press is reporting today that that admission precedes the release next week of the results of a year-long investigation showing that senior officials have been aware of the agency’s flagging of conservative groups since 2011.
AP Exclusive: Federal watchdog: Senior IRS officials knew agents targeted tea party groups for scrutiny: apne.ws/138oq8P -SS
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 11, 2013
