IRS Targeting Pushed By Democrats Aided Obama Campaign

Investor's Business Daily ^ | May 15, 2013 | IBD EDITORIALS

[raptor22]

Scandal: Senate Democrats, including supporters of the Disclose Act, provided the names of groups they wanted targeted in a taxpayer-funded witch hunt overseen by an IRS employee and Obama campaign donor.

Using the Citizens United case as a pretext, retiring Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., on July 27, 2012, wrote IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman to investigate 12 conservative groups he accused of violating their tax-exempt status and engaging in coordinated political activity.

The groups Levin asked to be targeted for special scrutiny were Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, Priorities U.S.A., Americans Elect, American Action Network, Americans for Prosperity, American Future Fund, Americans for Tax Reform, 60 Plus Association, Patriot Majority USA, Club for Growth, Citizens for a Working America Inc. and the Susan B. Anthony List.

In the Citizens United decision, the Supreme Court held that corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts on political advocacy as long as they do not coordinate with candidates or campaigns.

This infuriated Democrats and particularly President Obama, who subsequently lectured a captive audience of Supreme Court Justices during his State if the Union on national TV for "having reversed a century of law."

Levin is a prominent supporter of the Disclose Act, which would require the disclosure of corporate donors to tax-exempt organizations. He was an original cosponsor of the legislation. Levin also chairs the Senate permanent subcommittee on investigations and says the subcommittee will be investigating the IRS targeting of conservative groups, something he asked it to do.

Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire; Tom Udall, New Mexico; and Al Franken, Minnesota; sent a similar letter to Shulman in February 2012, asking the IRS to investigate tax-exempt groups they believed were engaged in political activities. So did retiring Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., in 2010 and House Democrats in 2012, the Atlantic reported Monday.

[raptor22]

The power to tax is the power to destroy your political enemies.

[Travis McGee]

[Travis McGee]

[originalbuckeye]

Another aspect that no one seems to be talking about: all the Conservative groups had to wait 2-3 years, which meant they weren’t able to collect tax exempt money to be used to help elect Republicans in 2010 AND in 2012. The Democrat groups were all able to gather money for political purposes.........UNFAIR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE. I am sure that was the point, but we need a do over of the 2012 election!

[Norm Lenhart]

“Under color of Authority”

Repeat until civil rights suits ensue.

[Venturer]

Sounds like any Democrat Senator running for office only has to write the IRS to harass their opponents and the act is done.

These people should come before the ethics Committee.

Wait that’s a joke. The ethics Committee I mean , not the sorry assed Senators who used the IRS as their thugs.

All of these people should be removed from office.

[Steely Tom]

The left will march every conservative in the country right off to extermination camps if they get the power to do so.

[JoeRed]

Because tax exempt money can’t be used for political purposes.

[raptor22]

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[originalbuckeye]

But you get to claim a tax deduction when you donate to political parties.

[VRW Conspirator]

Label them.

[LibLieSlayer]

Oboingo Malik obama... half brother to obama and a criminal... operated the bho foundation for 24 months before applying for 501C3. He was approved in under 30 days... RETROACTIVE back 24 months. They claim to be raising money to build a madrassa and a house for an imam. Rush said no evidence that they have ever done anything but collect money.

LLS

[originalbuckeye]

‘The tax law is relatively clear about what a (c)(4) can and cannot do. The IRS defines these groups as “civic leagues, social welfare organizations, and local associations of employees.” Their net earnings are supposed to be used for charitable, educational, or recreational purposes. They may lobby and participate in political activities but their primary purpose must not be campaigning.’

So they can participate in political activities. Maybe through fundraisers or whatever. But they were denied the chance, while Dem organizations were approved, and I do believe it affected the election.

[raptor22]

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[ExTexasRedhead]

I don’t have profanity adequate for all this and what I think of the slime in DC.

[ExTexasRedhead]

In my opinion, it’s time to recognize what it is—AuschwitzCare brought to you by the Capos in the RAT party headed by Reid Pelosi, Boxer, Feinstein, Schumer, Durbin, Kerry, Rangel, Waters, and the list goes on.

Hitler would have welcomed them all into his inner circle, ya think?

[Excellence]

I just did a search on “Disclose Act,” and this goes back several years. I seem to recall a provision in the original legislation that would have required any individual who spends as little as $25 on anything political, such as fliers or bumper stickers, to register as a political lobbyist or operative or some such thing. Perhaps this was specific to California; I don't remember. But it was shocking.

[raptor22]

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[JoeRed]

I agree it gave the democrats an unfair advantage. I would just be cautious about stating that they could have used tax exempt money to help elect a particular party. If that were their purpose, they would not be tax exempt, and I suspect that is why they aren’t talking about it.

[Mike Darancette]

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