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Posted on 05/11/2013 1:16:15 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
A BEDROCK principle of U.S. democracy is that the coercive powers of government are never used for partisan purpose. The law is blind to political viewpoint, and so are its enforcers, most especially the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service. Any violation of this principle threatens the trust and the voluntary cooperation of citizens upon which this democracy depends.
So it was appalling to learn Friday that the IRS had improperly targeted conservative groups for scrutiny. It was almost as disturbing that President Obama and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew have not personally apologized to the American people and promised a full investigation.
“Mistakes were made,” the agency said in a statement. IRS official Lois Lerner explained that staffers used a “shortcut” to sort through a large number of applications from groups seeking tax-exempt status, highlighting organizations with “tea party” or “patriot” in their names. The IRS insisted emphatically that partisanship had nothing to do with it. However, it seems that groups with “progressive” in their titles did not receive the same scrutiny.
If it was not partisanship, was it incompetence? Stupidity, on a breathtaking scale? At this point, the IRS has lost any standing to determine and report on what exactly happened. Certainly Congress will investigate, as House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) promised. Mr. Obama also should guarantee an unimpeachably independent inquiry. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
How big of a deal is abusing the tax system to gain an advantage over the political opposition? Don’t forget that it was one of the charges in the Watergate articles of impeachment:
Article 2
Using the powers of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in disregard of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has repeatedly engaged in conduct violating the constitutional rights of citizens, impairing the due and proper administration of justice and the conduct of lawful inquiries, or contravening the laws governing agencies of the executive branch and the purposed of these agencies.
This conduct has included one or more of the following:
1.
He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposed not authorized by law, and to cause, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, income tax audits or other income tax investigations to be intitiated or conducted in a discriminatory manner.
I'm impressed. This appeared in the Washington Post... it's almost like the Post believes laws should be applied equally to conservatives. Almost like we're equal to democrats... The Post is up to something... but it feels so nice I'm going to believe ...
They want to make sure all the trails to the WH are stamped out and potential whistle-blowers are handled before they get out in front of the public.
The W/P should dig deeper----find out if depraved Obomba degenerates like David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, etc, got their filthy hands on tax records. We need to know if these dirty Chi/mob lowlifes used US tax records for nefarious purposes.
These are the kingpins of criminal Chicago politics---they know all the scams.
Recall that when the Chi/mob descended on DC, they immediately took over the census---the Chi/mob had b-i-g plans for that info. Might have used that data in conjunction w/ tax records.
” Recall that when the Chi/mob descended on DC, they immediately took over the census-—the Chi/mob had b-i-g plans for that info. Might have used that data in conjunction w/ tax records. “
Yes.
Liz, you might have something there.
Recall all the intimidation they threw at Romney. Romney capitulated, but I wonder if he had not...?
Intimidated conservatives, hell, they intimidated a candidate!
...and marxist!
LLS
Male Bovine excrement. Your just made the mistake of getting caught.
Obomba bragged he was s-o-o-o popular--campaign contributions were raining down on lucky him---he had the first billion dollar prez campaign (so he said).
Later Obomba stated he had to "borrow" money to finish his campaign.
Huh?
Where were the FEC records?.............Romney did nothing.
Fake but accurate.
And that is why obammy ordered the IRS to volunteer this info.
By "this sort of thing," what they mean is "getting caught."
Ostoner may be sacrificing people he will pardon to save his own butt. No doubt he would do it.
This political persucution by fascist federal bureaucrats is not new. It got so bad with Interior Department Nazis going after ranchers in one county, that the sheriff threatened to unleash his SWAT team on the a**holes. After that, the federal worms crawled back under the rocks.
Another WP article:
The word the IRS used in their apology were even off: insensitive, inappropriate ?? Huh?? Sounds like they’re apologizing for hurting someone’s feelings! Geez I friggin despise this government of ours!
You're right Liz - and they should also look at why Homeland Security is buying so many bullets.
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