Back in March of 2012, I wrote the following article on IRS abuse:
The IRS Wants Information From Tea Party Chapters?
Talk about overstepping your authority, this is an interesting twist of history.
It seems that the Sons of Liberty of 1765 are being resurrected all over again.
It was in Boston, Massachusetts, in early summer of 1765, when a group of Shopkeepers, Artisans got together to protest unfair laws and taxes placed upon them what they saw as a tyrannical government.
They called themselves The Loyal Nine. As the group grew, it came to be known as the Sons of Liberty. Frustration with the government was so bad that by the end of 1765, the Sons of Liberty existed in every American colony.
Knowing the ways of the world, they were not so naive to think that the government would not seek reprisals to their protests. Because of this, the Sons of Liberty met in secret out of fear of retribution from the government.
After the British government passed the Tea Act, American colonists viewed it as another example of "taxation without representation."
The American colonists were angry and helpless. They wanted to do something to let the British government know about the unhappiness that the Tea Act was causing.
As a way to protest the Tea Act, colonists in Philadelphia and New York turned the tea ships back to Britain. In Charleston the cargo was left to rot on the docks.
In Boston, the Royal Governor was stubborn and kept the ships in port - but the colonists dock workers would not allow them to unload. Cargoes of tea filled the Boston harbor, as the British ships weren't moving either way.
The Sons of Liberty discussed how best to get their message across to Great Britain, that the American colonies wanted more of a role in governing themselves.
The year was 1773 and Christmas was approaching. The American Colonists faced another year of unopposed and unrepresentative taxes. The Sons of Liberty decided to take action - it would later be called "The Boston Tea Party."
The Boston Tea Party was a symbolic act. It was meant to be an example of how far Americans were willing to go when they decide to speak out for their freedom.
But the Sons of Liberty were not fools, they knew that they must remain a secret organization. If not, then they'd be open to harsh reprisals and imprisonment from the British government.
Now fast forward to 2012.
Unlike the Sons of Liberty, Americans who joined in on the Tea Party rallies in 2009 never thought that they would be subject to reprisals and retribution from the United States government.
But now, now its happening!
Tea Party chapters around the nation are blasting the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) after the Federal agency sent them letters demanding information about their politics, contributors, and even family members.
In letters sent from IRS offices in Cincinnati earlier this month, chapters including the Waco, Texas, Tea Party and the Ohio Liberty Council were asked to provide a list of donors, identify volunteers, financial support for and relationships with political candidates and parties, and even printed copies of their Facebook pages.
The chapters that received requests were registering for nonprofit status as a 501(c)4 organizations. The classification mainly differs from 501(c)3 groups in that donors cannot deduct their contributions from their taxable income.
The tax code places fewer restrictions on 501(c)4 groups, allowing them to lobby in furtherance of their organizations' mission. They are also permitted to engage in political activity like endorsing candidates and donating money and time to specific campaigns, though it cannot be their primary activity.
Tea Party leaders said that they were particularly offended by demands that they name donors and volunteers, which is required by law, but were also asked to list any political ambitions of board members or their relatives.
Colleen Owens, spokeswoman for the Richmond, Virginia, Tea Party, claims that her chapter had a similar letter sent to them just two weeks before they were to hold a local convention in which they were asked to provide nearly 500 pages in documents.
They were required to return the requested documents two days before the start of the convention.
"Most of these groups are not wealthy and they've had their applications for 501(c)4 status since 2010," Owens said. "We only had two weeks to gather everything. The timing was suspicious."
"When determining whether an organization is eligible for tax-exempt status, including 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, all the facts and circumstances of that specific organization must be considered to determine whether it is eligible for tax-exempt status. To be tax-exempt as a social welfare organization, they must be primarily engaged in the promotion of social welfare. Career civil servants make all decisions on exemption applications in a fair, impartial manner and do so without regard to political party affiliation or ideology," said a spokesman for the IRS.
But if that's so, then why ask questions about the political ambitions of board members or their relatives? If this is just an innocent inquiry, then why demand information about their politics, contributors, and even family members?
If this is so routine, I can't help but wonder why would they ask for to provide a list of donors, identify volunteers, financial support for and relationships with political candidates and parties, and even printed copies of their Facebook pages?
Tom Zawistowski, of the Ohio Liberty Council, a Tea Party chapter, called the questions about the names of donors, volunteers and members' relatives as "intelligence gathering."
"This has nothing to do with tax status," Zawistowski said. “It has to do with political affiliation. The questions are too close to home."
I agree with Colleen Owens, who is the spokeswoman for the Richmond, Virginia, Tea Party, when she said, "It's very intimidating and people are scared."
-- end of March 12, 2012 article.
That was early last year, 2012. Now we find out that the IRS did not stop their criminal behavior.
And yes, it is criminal behavior. It is against the law to do what they have done.
We now find out that the IRS probes and investigations went beyond just looking into a few Tea Party members, and actually targeted Conservative Groups.
Withing the last few days, the IRS has admits targeting the Tea Party.
An IRS campaign to apply additional surveillance on Conservative Groups went beyond targeting "Tea Party" and "patriot" groups to include those focused on government spending, the Constitution, and several other broad areas.
Can you imagine this for a moment? An arm of the United States Government uses its power to examine your finances because you are interested in the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES!
Imagine that! If you showed an interest in the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES - the IRS may have investigated you!
And yes, they make it sound so clinical and inert. They make it sound like its no big deal. But it is a big deal!
The IRS consciously created additional guidelines specially targeting a certain segment of our population. An arm of the Federal Government, the IRS actually targeted law abiding citizens who they saw as "political threats!"
The "additional guidelines" used by the agency were part of a timeline, obtained by Fox News, from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which is looking into the controversial IRS practice.
IRS officials apologized Friday for the scrutiny, but new information suggests senior leaders were apprised of the effort as early as 2011 despite lying to the public by denying what they were doing.
Republican lawmakers have vowed to investigate and hold hearings, calling the revelations deeply troubling.
"The conclusion that the IRS came to is that they did have agents who were engaged in intimidation of political groups," Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers told "Fox News Sunday."
"I don't care if you're a conservative, a liberal, a Democrat or a Republican, this should send a chill up your spine. It needs to have a full investigation."
Surprisingly, a top Democrat -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus -- also said Monday that his committee would launch a "full investigation" into the matter.
"These actions by the IRS are an outrageous abuse of power and a breach of the public's trust. Targeting groups based on their political views is not only inappropriate but it is intolerable," the Montana Democrat said in a statement. "Americans expect the IRS to do its job without passion or prejudice. We need to get to the bottom of what happened here. ... The IRS will now be the ones put under additional scrutiny."
President Obama weighed in as well, saying at a press conference Monday that "if the reports are true, then that's outrageous and there's no place for it -- and they have to be held fully accountable."
The president doesn't have to be concerned with "IF" because the IRS alread said they did the crime!
And as for Obama saying he first found out about the practice on Friday? Can you imagine that?
The President of the United States just found out what was being reported over a year ago!
To think that we knew before him? That would be like saying that President Roosevelt only found out about the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the radio! Incredible!
Obama said that "if" agents behaved in a partisan fashion, "I've got no patience with it. I will not tolerate it."
That's all fine and dandy, but since there is no "if" about it, why didn't President Obama say whether he would fire and criminally charge those who did this.
He did not say that or if he is putting the Attorney General on this. He did not say anything other than more "political speak". Just a bunch of meaningless blather!
The IRS internal Inspector General timeline shows that an entire Unit in the IRS was specifically assigned to examine Tea Party and "patriot" groups dating back to early 2010.
Moreover, the IRS internal Inspector General timeline shows that list of criteria became drastically larger by June 2011.
By 2011, the IRS was targeting individuals and groups focused on government spending, government debt, taxes, and education on ways to "make America a better place to live."
It even flagged people and groups whose "file" included criticism of "how the country is being run."
That's right, they have a "file" on you if you belong to a Conservative Group or have looked into government spending, government debt, taxes, how to "make America a better place to live," or "how the country is being run."
By early 2012, the criteria were updated to include organizations involved in "limiting/expanding government," education on social economic reform, the 9/12 Project, and the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
That's right, this is where we have come under this administration. Citizens are being investigated because they had shown an interest in reading the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES and THE BILL of RIGHTS!
Is this scary? You bet your ass its scary!
For me, I want whoever is in charge of this charged and tried and sent to prison!
Since the information that is coming out right now contradicts public statements by IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who told Congressional investigators in March 2011 that specific groups were not being targeted, he should be charged with perjury.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins on Sunday also called the IRS activities chilling and said she was disappointed that President Obama had not condemned the actions.
"This is truly outrageous and it contributes to the profound distrust that the American people have in government," Collins told CNN's "State of the Union."
"It is absolutely chilling that the IRS was singling out Conservative Groups for extra review. And I think that it's very disappointing that the President hasn't personally condemned this."
At about the same time, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney released a statement saying: "If the inspector general finds that there were any rules broken or that conduct of government officials did not meet the standards required of them, the president expects that swift and appropriate steps will be taken to address any misconduct."
But this is not just a case of "misconduct" like someone getting something wrong on someone's paperwork, this is criminal to the extent that their are privacy issues at hand here. There are privacy laws that have been broken.
While the Federal Government has grown crazy with power lately, criminal conduct is criminal conduct and let's not try to make it less than it is.
Michigan Republican Rep. Dave Camp, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said Friday his committee will hold a hearing on the issue.
The IRS said Friday that it was sorry for what it called the "inappropriate" targeting of the conservative groups during the 2012 elections.
Lois G. Lerner, who heads the IRS division that oversees tax-exempt organizations, said the practice was initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati and was not motivated by political bias. But on June 29, 2011, Lerner found out that such groups were being targeted, according to the Inspector General's report.
She was told at a meeting that groups with "Tea Party," "Patriot" or "9/12 Project" in their names were being flagged for additional and often burdensome scrutiny, the report states.
Can you imagine the nerve it takes to say that it "was not motivated by political bias" when it is blatantly obvious that that is exactly what it is - political targeting of the liberal opposition?
Why do people like Lerner think we are all fools? Of course it's Political Bias, they only TARGETED one group - Conservatives!
I am thankful that Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins does not accept such bullshit lies coming out of the IRS, either from Lerner or Shulman.
Senator Collins said she does not believe the activity was limited to "a couple of rogue IRS employees."
"After all," she added, "groups with `progressive' in their names were not targeted similarly."
And one last thing, its the idea of "targeting" citizens.
We should be worried, very very worried, when any agency, whether its IRS specifically targets Conservatives and Conservative Groups, or the USDA and EPA targets Ranchers and Farmers.
It is not in our best interest as a nation, a supposedly free country, to allow any agent or agency of the government - whether it be at the local, county, state or federal levels - to use their power and authority to target "law abiding" Americans for any reason.
If we allow this, America is done, we're finished, we can cash in our chips and close the lights.
If we allow the government, in any capacity, to "target" law abiding citizens, than everything that has been done to uphold our liberty and freedom, in all of the generations that have preceded us, would have been for nothing.
The threat to our freedom and liberty comes from abuse of power and authority. The IRS has shown themselves as guilty of doing both - abusing their power and authority while violating the law.
Story by Tom Correa
The IRS Wants Information From Tea Party Chapters?
Talk about overstepping your authority, this is an interesting twist of history.
It seems that the Sons of Liberty of 1765 are being resurrected all over again.
It was in Boston, Massachusetts, in early summer of 1765, when a group of Shopkeepers, Artisans got together to protest unfair laws and taxes placed upon them what they saw as a tyrannical government.
They called themselves The Loyal Nine. As the group grew, it came to be known as the Sons of Liberty. Frustration with the government was so bad that by the end of 1765, the Sons of Liberty existed in every American colony.
Knowing the ways of the world, they were not so naive to think that the government would not seek reprisals to their protests. Because of this, the Sons of Liberty met in secret out of fear of retribution from the government.
After the British government passed the Tea Act, American colonists viewed it as another example of "taxation without representation."
The American colonists were angry and helpless. They wanted to do something to let the British government know about the unhappiness that the Tea Act was causing.
As a way to protest the Tea Act, colonists in Philadelphia and New York turned the tea ships back to Britain. In Charleston the cargo was left to rot on the docks.
In Boston, the Royal Governor was stubborn and kept the ships in port - but the colonists dock workers would not allow them to unload. Cargoes of tea filled the Boston harbor, as the British ships weren't moving either way.
The Sons of Liberty discussed how best to get their message across to Great Britain, that the American colonies wanted more of a role in governing themselves.
The year was 1773 and Christmas was approaching. The American Colonists faced another year of unopposed and unrepresentative taxes. The Sons of Liberty decided to take action - it would later be called "The Boston Tea Party."
The Boston Tea Party was a symbolic act. It was meant to be an example of how far Americans were willing to go when they decide to speak out for their freedom.
But the Sons of Liberty were not fools, they knew that they must remain a secret organization. If not, then they'd be open to harsh reprisals and imprisonment from the British government.
Now fast forward to 2012.
Unlike the Sons of Liberty, Americans who joined in on the Tea Party rallies in 2009 never thought that they would be subject to reprisals and retribution from the United States government.
But now, now its happening!
Tea Party chapters around the nation are blasting the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) after the Federal agency sent them letters demanding information about their politics, contributors, and even family members.
In letters sent from IRS offices in Cincinnati earlier this month, chapters including the Waco, Texas, Tea Party and the Ohio Liberty Council were asked to provide a list of donors, identify volunteers, financial support for and relationships with political candidates and parties, and even printed copies of their Facebook pages.
The chapters that received requests were registering for nonprofit status as a 501(c)4 organizations. The classification mainly differs from 501(c)3 groups in that donors cannot deduct their contributions from their taxable income.
The tax code places fewer restrictions on 501(c)4 groups, allowing them to lobby in furtherance of their organizations' mission. They are also permitted to engage in political activity like endorsing candidates and donating money and time to specific campaigns, though it cannot be their primary activity.
Tea Party leaders said that they were particularly offended by demands that they name donors and volunteers, which is required by law, but were also asked to list any political ambitions of board members or their relatives.
Colleen Owens, spokeswoman for the Richmond, Virginia, Tea Party, claims that her chapter had a similar letter sent to them just two weeks before they were to hold a local convention in which they were asked to provide nearly 500 pages in documents.
They were required to return the requested documents two days before the start of the convention.
"Most of these groups are not wealthy and they've had their applications for 501(c)4 status since 2010," Owens said. "We only had two weeks to gather everything. The timing was suspicious."
"When determining whether an organization is eligible for tax-exempt status, including 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, all the facts and circumstances of that specific organization must be considered to determine whether it is eligible for tax-exempt status. To be tax-exempt as a social welfare organization, they must be primarily engaged in the promotion of social welfare. Career civil servants make all decisions on exemption applications in a fair, impartial manner and do so without regard to political party affiliation or ideology," said a spokesman for the IRS.
But if that's so, then why ask questions about the political ambitions of board members or their relatives? If this is just an innocent inquiry, then why demand information about their politics, contributors, and even family members?
If this is so routine, I can't help but wonder why would they ask for to provide a list of donors, identify volunteers, financial support for and relationships with political candidates and parties, and even printed copies of their Facebook pages?
Tom Zawistowski, of the Ohio Liberty Council, a Tea Party chapter, called the questions about the names of donors, volunteers and members' relatives as "intelligence gathering."
"This has nothing to do with tax status," Zawistowski said. “It has to do with political affiliation. The questions are too close to home."
I agree with Colleen Owens, who is the spokeswoman for the Richmond, Virginia, Tea Party, when she said, "It's very intimidating and people are scared."
-- end of March 12, 2012 article.
That was early last year, 2012. Now we find out that the IRS did not stop their criminal behavior.
And yes, it is criminal behavior. It is against the law to do what they have done.
We now find out that the IRS probes and investigations went beyond just looking into a few Tea Party members, and actually targeted Conservative Groups.
Withing the last few days, the IRS has admits targeting the Tea Party.
An IRS campaign to apply additional surveillance on Conservative Groups went beyond targeting "Tea Party" and "patriot" groups to include those focused on government spending, the Constitution, and several other broad areas.
Can you imagine this for a moment? An arm of the United States Government uses its power to examine your finances because you are interested in the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES!
Imagine that! If you showed an interest in the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES - the IRS may have investigated you!
And yes, they make it sound so clinical and inert. They make it sound like its no big deal. But it is a big deal!
The IRS consciously created additional guidelines specially targeting a certain segment of our population. An arm of the Federal Government, the IRS actually targeted law abiding citizens who they saw as "political threats!"
The "additional guidelines" used by the agency were part of a timeline, obtained by Fox News, from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which is looking into the controversial IRS practice.
IRS officials apologized Friday for the scrutiny, but new information suggests senior leaders were apprised of the effort as early as 2011 despite lying to the public by denying what they were doing.
Republican lawmakers have vowed to investigate and hold hearings, calling the revelations deeply troubling.
"The conclusion that the IRS came to is that they did have agents who were engaged in intimidation of political groups," Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers told "Fox News Sunday."
"I don't care if you're a conservative, a liberal, a Democrat or a Republican, this should send a chill up your spine. It needs to have a full investigation."
Surprisingly, a top Democrat -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus -- also said Monday that his committee would launch a "full investigation" into the matter.
"These actions by the IRS are an outrageous abuse of power and a breach of the public's trust. Targeting groups based on their political views is not only inappropriate but it is intolerable," the Montana Democrat said in a statement. "Americans expect the IRS to do its job without passion or prejudice. We need to get to the bottom of what happened here. ... The IRS will now be the ones put under additional scrutiny."
President Obama weighed in as well, saying at a press conference Monday that "if the reports are true, then that's outrageous and there's no place for it -- and they have to be held fully accountable."
The president doesn't have to be concerned with "IF" because the IRS alread said they did the crime!
And as for Obama saying he first found out about the practice on Friday? Can you imagine that?
The President of the United States just found out what was being reported over a year ago!
To think that we knew before him? That would be like saying that President Roosevelt only found out about the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the radio! Incredible!
Obama said that "if" agents behaved in a partisan fashion, "I've got no patience with it. I will not tolerate it."
That's all fine and dandy, but since there is no "if" about it, why didn't President Obama say whether he would fire and criminally charge those who did this.
He did not say that or if he is putting the Attorney General on this. He did not say anything other than more "political speak". Just a bunch of meaningless blather!
The IRS internal Inspector General timeline shows that an entire Unit in the IRS was specifically assigned to examine Tea Party and "patriot" groups dating back to early 2010.
Moreover, the IRS internal Inspector General timeline shows that list of criteria became drastically larger by June 2011.
By 2011, the IRS was targeting individuals and groups focused on government spending, government debt, taxes, and education on ways to "make America a better place to live."
It even flagged people and groups whose "file" included criticism of "how the country is being run."
That's right, they have a "file" on you if you belong to a Conservative Group or have looked into government spending, government debt, taxes, how to "make America a better place to live," or "how the country is being run."
By early 2012, the criteria were updated to include organizations involved in "limiting/expanding government," education on social economic reform, the 9/12 Project, and the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
That's right, this is where we have come under this administration. Citizens are being investigated because they had shown an interest in reading the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES and THE BILL of RIGHTS!
Is this scary? You bet your ass its scary!
For me, I want whoever is in charge of this charged and tried and sent to prison!
Since the information that is coming out right now contradicts public statements by IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who told Congressional investigators in March 2011 that specific groups were not being targeted, he should be charged with perjury.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins on Sunday also called the IRS activities chilling and said she was disappointed that President Obama had not condemned the actions.
"This is truly outrageous and it contributes to the profound distrust that the American people have in government," Collins told CNN's "State of the Union."
"It is absolutely chilling that the IRS was singling out Conservative Groups for extra review. And I think that it's very disappointing that the President hasn't personally condemned this."
At about the same time, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney released a statement saying: "If the inspector general finds that there were any rules broken or that conduct of government officials did not meet the standards required of them, the president expects that swift and appropriate steps will be taken to address any misconduct."
But this is not just a case of "misconduct" like someone getting something wrong on someone's paperwork, this is criminal to the extent that their are privacy issues at hand here. There are privacy laws that have been broken.
While the Federal Government has grown crazy with power lately, criminal conduct is criminal conduct and let's not try to make it less than it is.
Michigan Republican Rep. Dave Camp, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said Friday his committee will hold a hearing on the issue.
The IRS said Friday that it was sorry for what it called the "inappropriate" targeting of the conservative groups during the 2012 elections.
Lois G. Lerner, who heads the IRS division that oversees tax-exempt organizations, said the practice was initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati and was not motivated by political bias. But on June 29, 2011, Lerner found out that such groups were being targeted, according to the Inspector General's report.
She was told at a meeting that groups with "Tea Party," "Patriot" or "9/12 Project" in their names were being flagged for additional and often burdensome scrutiny, the report states.
Can you imagine the nerve it takes to say that it "was not motivated by political bias" when it is blatantly obvious that that is exactly what it is - political targeting of the liberal opposition?
Why do people like Lerner think we are all fools? Of course it's Political Bias, they only TARGETED one group - Conservatives!
I am thankful that Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins does not accept such bullshit lies coming out of the IRS, either from Lerner or Shulman.
Senator Collins said she does not believe the activity was limited to "a couple of rogue IRS employees."
"After all," she added, "groups with `progressive' in their names were not targeted similarly."
And one last thing, its the idea of "targeting" citizens.
We should be worried, very very worried, when any agency, whether its IRS specifically targets Conservatives and Conservative Groups, or the USDA and EPA targets Ranchers and Farmers.
It is not in our best interest as a nation, a supposedly free country, to allow any agent or agency of the government - whether it be at the local, county, state or federal levels - to use their power and authority to target "law abiding" Americans for any reason.
If we allow this, America is done, we're finished, we can cash in our chips and close the lights.
If we allow the government, in any capacity, to "target" law abiding citizens, than everything that has been done to uphold our liberty and freedom, in all of the generations that have preceded us, would have been for nothing.
The threat to our freedom and liberty comes from abuse of power and authority. The IRS has shown themselves as guilty of doing both - abusing their power and authority while violating the law.
Story by Tom Correa
I may not be made of money, but I owe a lot of it. Haha.
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