IRS: We Targeted Conservative, Tea Party Groups With Extra Scrutiny — 'Mistakes Were Made'

The Internal Revenue Service admitted Friday to targeting conservative and Tea Party groups with additional scrutiny during the 2012 campaign, the Associated Press first reported.

IRS spokesperson Lois Lerner said at a conference in Washington that the agency apologized for the special emphasis and scrutiny in applications for tax-exempt status.

According to the AP, she said that organizations containing the words "Tea Party" or "patriot" were targeted for additional review, blaming that on "low-level" workers in Ohio.

www.businessinsider.com...

So the TSA can't profile.
The police can't profile.

But the IRS did.

A government agency targeting a specific political ideology. I didn't see this anywhere on ATS and wanted to bring it up, although, I am sure everyone is aware. It's just that the usual Obama-apologists are probably too busy with Benghazi to focus on their administration targeting a rival political ideology and using the IRS to attack them. (speculation on my part)

But does anyone here really think that it was just the work of some low-level IRS pukes with nothing better to do?

ummm...Beez
there's your trouble:
you spelt "high" level" wrong

reply to post by beezzer


Maybe the obozo administration should use some stimulus money and create jobs for gov't whistleblowers, and their attornies?

I found this, to add to things.

In a New York Times editorial on March 7th, 2012, entitled, “The I.R.S. does its Job,” the staff wrote, “The I.R.S. must not flinch from its duty to enforce the tax code and root out political operatives who are abusing the law and conning taxpayers and voters.” Days later, IRS Commissioner Douglas Schulman assured a congressional panel, “There’s absolutely no targeting. This is the kind of back and forth that happens to people.”

Following the apology by Lerner, the White House also called the actions of the IRS “inappropriate,” and pledged a “thorough investigation.”

Source

and..

The Associated Press ‏@AP 2h
BREAKING: White House: IRS actions against groups 'inappropriate,' thorough investigation expected. -SS

(AP Twitter Feed)

Lets make sure we follow up on the thorough investigation, is my thinking. I'm very interested to hear where it goes. After all, I agree with the White House for this. A determined and thorough investigation is 100% called for and the conduct here demands no less. I'm glad to see they are quick to lead the way.

I'll certainly be watching for follow-up.

reply to post by beezzer


Kinda sick that they apologized for violating the law, but as we all know, the current administration has already proven to not only have a license to kill, but a license to criminalize anyone whom does not buy into their fascist agenda!

I would say that the ONLY taxes we should pay, is enough to buy them all some brand new "brown shirts" so that they can be easily identified by those who value their freedom!

reply to post by seeker1963


When you break the law now, I guess all you need to do is say, "I'm sorry."

It's the "My Bad" clause.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


What concerns me, my friend, is that we are asking the fox to investigate who stole the chickens from the hen-house.

Originally posted by Happy1
reply to post by beezzer

 

Maybe the obozo administration should use some stimulus money and create jobs for gov't whistleblowers, and their attornies?

That won't work. They are too busy prosecuting or demoting them now.

Originally posted by Danbones
ummm...Beez
there's your trouble:
you spelt "high" level" wrong

edit on 10-5-2013 by Danbones because: (no reason given)

Nononononono!

Didn't you know that "low-level" IRS folks can determine who to investigate on a national level!

reply to post by beezzer


You're absolutely right, which is why I strongly recommend we all keep a watchful eye for that follow-up, eh?

We wouldn't want anyone forgetting about the investigation promised, once headlines fade. We all know how Uncle Sammy is old and forgetful at times.

reply to post by beezzer


I just became aware of this this morning, though I do remeber back when it was first mentioned around election time.

Shouldn't really suprise anyone though.

Liberal extremists have caused many more tragedies than conservative extremists in recent history, yet conservative groups are the subject of almost every justice department probe and inquiry, while liberal groups are ignored.

Sounds like the guy running all of these departments has an agenda to me, who was that at the top of all federal agencies again?

Originally posted by inverslyproportional
reply to post by beezzer

 

I just became aware of this this morning, though I do remeber back when it was first mentioned around election time.

Shouldn't really suprise anyone though.

Liberal extremists have caused many more tragedies than conservative extremists in recent history, yet conservative groups are the subject of almost every justice department probe and inquiry, while liberal groups are ignored.

Sounds like the guy running all of these departments has an agenda to me, who was that at the top of all federal agencies again?

To be blunt, it is divisive in nature. It reeks of Obama-style politics.

Originally posted by beezzer

Originally posted by Danbones
ummm...Beez
there's your trouble:
you spelt "high" level" wrong

edit on 10-5-2013 by Danbones because: (no reason given)

Nononononono!

Didn't you know that "low-level" IRS folks can determine who to investigate on a national level!

I do get the "LOW " part
"LEVEL?...mmmm, not so much

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by seeker1963

 

When you break the law now, I guess all you need to do is be a liberal and say, "I'm sorry."

It's the "My Bad" clause.

fixed it for you

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
reply to post by beezzer

 

You're absolutely right, which is why I strongly recommend we all keep a watchful eye for that follow-up, eh?

We wouldn't want anyone forgetting about the investigation promised, once headlines fade. We all know how Uncle Sammy is old and forgetful at times.

This is just white house posturing. The last thing they need to do now, and they know it, is make a weak statement here......with all manner of pro constitutional uprisings taking place they now wouldn't want to look blatantly against that most American of traditions.....being anti tax which is major platform of the Tea Party.

At any rate this IRS stuff here is nothing new. They have been leaning on hard tax wise groups for years. In fact if you ask me this whole story is just about letting everyone know they have their eye on such without having to take on a tiger as big as the Tea Party. Had this info come out when the iron was hot it would have had a much greater effect. So they wait for things to cool down and give it the back hand by saying they will apply no disciplinary measures to those overzealous IRS folks that undertook these investigations.

reply to post by Logarock


In all fairness, I wonder if socialist or communist leaning groups have had heavier scrutiny during republican administrations?

LOL, what was the IRS thinking? Conservatives have tax accountants and lawyers to legally hide all their shady work for them. What a waste. Everyone knows that.

They aren't mob bosses, these guys "pay" their taxes, they just "pay" them using loopholes, offshore accounts, fictitious deductions, and other legal wranglings so they don't have to pay a whole lot.

Course they will claim to the public that the government is bending them over backwards, and cause of that they can't be "job creators" lol

still love that "job creators" joke, that has got to be the funniest lie Conservatives have come up with.

reply to post by HauntWok


You forgot to mention that conservatives are all evil and greedy and drink jello shots off the stomachs of Fox News babes and worship Sarah Palin at the altar of Darth Cheney.

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by Logarock

 

In all fairness, I wonder if socialist or communist leaning groups have had heavier scrutiny during republican administrations?

LOL! I don't know....when was the last time state university was audited during a republican administration?

Political enemies have always come under the very little known law of "sic um".... The IRS has been used to Intimidate, Infiltrate, and remove or terminate a person's reputation or business. Nothing new except this time they were caught and it made the news.

With the divided nature of the government and in some ways the nation I do not think the story will go away anytime soon. There is blood in the water and all the political sharks will follow the trail and have a feeding frenzy on the corps of the wrong doers.

As far as I am concerned, this time I hope the sharks chew them up for the "WIN"!