Put It To Bed
New Records Reveal IRS Targeted Progressive Groups More Extensively Than Tea Party
Our conservative friends can have a hard time letting go of homemade controversies that have been proven to be unsubstantiated and untrue (see: Benghazi). So we’d like to do our part in helping them put to bed another of these: the belief that the IRS targeted Tea Party groups applying for tax-exempt status.
That is not to say that the IRS didn’t act improperly: the government body did target some groups applying for tax-exempt status for additional scrutiny if they contained certain key words. The IRS has acknowledged that this was a failure, and President Obama and Congressional Democrats agree.
But Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee couldn’t stop there. They have continued to assert that the IRS singled out Tea Party groups, including in the committee’s latest report entitled “Debunking the Myth that the IRS Targeted Progressives.”
To clear the air, ThinkProgress issued a request for IRS documents under the Freedom of Information Act. Here is what they found:
A series of IRS documents, provided to ThinkProgress under the Freedom of Information Act, appears to contradict the claims by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that only Tea Party organizations applying for tax-exempt status “received systematic scrutiny because of their political beliefs.” The 22 “Be On the Look Out” keywords lists, distributed to staff reviewing applications between August 12, 2010 and April 19, 2013, included more explicit references to progressive groups, ACORN successors, and medical marijuana organizations than to Tea Party entities.
The scandal has certainly provided plenty of fodder for Fox News (President Obama even called them out on it in a pre-Super Bowl interview with Bill O’Reilly). But it has been costly to the IRS and soaked up countless hours of research, hearings, and reporting.
BOTTOM LINE: New information that the IRS actually targeted progressive groups more than the Tea Party should put this issue to rest once and for all. It’s time conservatives put aside petty, wasteful, and misleading political battles and help solve our country’s many challenges.
Note: The Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF) has been recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(4) organization. ThinkProgress is a project of CAPAF. CAPAF does not endorse candidates, nor does it fund “independent expenditures” or any other kind of candidate-related
Note from Avatar: The biggest scandal of all is Chairman Darrell Issa who has cherry picked information which he only allowed his committee and the public to see and had the most pertinent and important information about this case redacted to make it look like he had a case against the President while wasting millions of taxpayer $ on this spurious case. Issa should be stripped of his chairmanship and charged with ethics violations if not worse.
Replies
Please do not use Thinkprogress as any kind of real news source. Think Progress is a White House funded propaganda mouthpiece, so naturally they're going to say Issa and his troop are wrong and going overboard when in reality this is really going on as Issa has been saying; there's countless white papers and articles (which have all been vetted to the 3rd degree) which support Issa and their claims.
What ever happened to that lady committing perjury in front of a Congressional Hearing over this?! She never went to jail despite committing a felony offense. Wasn't she the one who was in charge during this time? Didn't she finally admit to this? All she had to do was step aside, no jail, no consequence. It's disgusting to me that people like this walk free yet some poor kid who got caught with a couple grams of pot goes to jail for months... Makes no sense to jail people for so long for victimless "crimes" of smoking a plant that grows naturally for crying out loud.
My bottom line is: The government lies, left and right, there's absolutely no arguing that fact. That, coupled with the fact that Think Progress is fully funded by the WH and the Obummer Administration... you do the math. Sorry to say, as a prior government employee for years and years, I personally don't trust ANYTHING they say, at all, ever. If you wish to grow old and wise, take my advice and take everything they say with a grain of salt. I'm sorry to burst that bubble but the government doesn't care about you, they don't love you and they certainly don't care what you may or may not think about them.
The fact you call the President, obummer says it all. I don't know how to tell you this but we need the government otherwise there would be total anarchy but of course, there's a certain segment of the population who is shooting for that. I've always found it very interesting the very people who hate the government always want to be a part of it.
Well, I really dislike the government because I WAS a part of it. I continue to work to distance myself from them, as far as I can. I've seen things that would absolutely turn your stomach. To think that they care about 'you' is folly. They don't care. They kill with impunity, they don't have a conscience as you and I know it, they are in fact a perfect storm waiting to pop.
I have no desire for chaos or anarchy. I believe in the Constitutional Government and I took my oath willingly and without reservation. It's okay if you disagree with me, but to put so much faith into a body that I know for a FACT that doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but themselves... well, I hope that's not you.
I have far more colorful names to address this so-called president, but I choose Obummer because he as well as his whole administration is nothing short of a bummer. That and Obummer isn't censored nor is it offensive.
People really need to stop defending this cretin. By comparison, Nixon was a choir boy. Nixon quit to avoid jail time for his hand in spying on a mere handful of people wherein Obama and his Administration have been found guilty of unconstitutionally and illegally spying on the entire American populace plus several of our so called allies, yet they're still clocking into work instead of being put in a jail cell. He as well as any who did nothing to stop this mess all belong behind bars. They continue to break laws and not just minor ones either. They are guilty of genocide, treason, and a host of other equally horrible crimes, yet they're still calling the shots.
If you pay your taxes you have no reason to fear the tax man. I gladly pay my taxes because how else will we pay ever down the debts GWbush left us with.
I find it interesting that you nor Rock bothered to address the real issue of my top post.
'medical marajuana' here really means pot sales in general that go untaxed and acorn is a criminal organazation that will advise clients to do just about anything, including prostitution to get fed gov grants-the tea party is a conservative political action group and that is worse than a gang of pedophiles running around school yards according to loonie lefties
Rock, you have no idea if pot sells in general will go untaxed and in any case I seriously doubt they will not tax it since it will be a great source of revenue and is no doubt one of the reasons they're allowing people to smoke it now for medicinal and recreational use.
There is NO such entity called ACORN and all they ever did was help register people to vote and I know how you TP's hate and cannot have that. What O'Keefe did to get them shuttered was proven to be a lie and he should be in prison for breaking all kinds of laws but of course, you still believe the lie...no surprise really.. You need to get caught up on the facts, you see, that way you do not look so uninformed. The tea party fascists are a bunch of idiots out to destroy the very fabric of the US but I think you'll find that's about to end. Tea Party = hate BIG government but will lie, cheat and steal to become a part of it. LOL SMDH
Now, why don't you try addressing the 'real' subject of my post instead of deflecting from the fact tea party darling Darrell Issa is a complete liar and crook.
Heh...my birthday is February 18th...hope it's a happy one. :) I'd just be thrilled to get rid of all the corrupt politicians which most are and peace would reign....it's hard to imagine.
Thank you...Goldenmind! ;)
Who is not involved and would be willing to take them down.... This would have to come from someone that has a conscience and is willing to stand up for what is right.. Only the people..
Cheers
suzieg
Wonder if Issa will be as outraged about the Progressive groups getting targeted more extensively than the teapubs? I do not think he'll care at all...wanna bet?