REVEALED: The IRS Targeted Groups Containing 'Tea Party,' 'Progressive,' 'Occupy,' And 'Israel'

[tpsbmam]

Source: Business Insider

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service's screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader and lasted longer than has been previously disclosed, the new head of the agency said Monday.

An internal IRS document obtained by The Associated Press said that besides "tea party," lists used by screeners to pick groups for close examination also included the terms "Israel," ''Progressive" and "Occupy." The document said an investigation into why specific terms were included was still underway.

In a conference call with reporters, Danny Werfel said that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he discovered wide-ranging and improper terms on the lists and said screeners were still using them. He did not specify what terms were on the lists, but said he suspended the use of all such lists immediately.

"There was a wide-ranging set of categories and cases that spanned a broad spectrum" on the lists, Werfel said. He added that his aides found those lists contained "inappropriate criteria that was in use."



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/irs-tea-party-targeting-report-danny-werfel-occupy-israel-progressive-2013-6#ixzz2XAkXlV87

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/irs-tea-party-targeting-report-danny-werfel-occupy-israel-progressive-2013-6?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=alerts&nr_email_referer=1

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. Of course this won't get the same play in the M$M, cause the initial uproar was "juicier".Rating$$$.

[Buzz Clik]

4. It won't get any outrage here.

[geek tragedy]

12. The "Occupy" angle will get some play, in terms of mean old Obama picking on them nt

[NutmegYankee]

2. And yet we only heard about the tea party cases.

Who would have thunk it?

[Berlum]

3. Who is doing the most cheating, and the most whining?

RepubliBaggers. As usual.

[wordpix]

33. Issa is having a hissy fit right now

I can hear him from the Capitol all the way up Conn. Ave.

[alp227]

5. think progress article

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/06/24/2206441/the-irs-targeted-progressive-non-profits-too/

[cstanleytech]

6. You wanna know why they were being checked? Its because many of them actually are political groups

trying to hide of the veil of being issues groups so they can hide who the money comes from.

[paleotn]

15. Exactly....

...interesting that so many organizations who's names contain those words is primarily political in focus. Once again, it looks like the IRS was simply doing its job.

[wordpix]

34. +1000, let's see Issa scream about the IRS preventing tax fraud across the board, I can't wait

to hear what facts he'll twist next.

[Grassy Knoll]

7. Well that pops Fux New's HUGH scandal.........

so it's back to OMGhazi for an other month.

[NewJeffCT]

10. you think that will stop them?

they'll just say that because there were more tea party groups that it still meant they were targeting conservatives.

[Daemonaquila]

20. Did I miss a brilliant new term?

"OMGhazi" is awesome!

[TDale313]

26. Yep, it really is. n/t

[wordpix]

35. I think so, too

[99th_Monkey]

8. Funny that ALL we heard about was "FASCIST OBAMA IRS IS HARRASSING OUR TEA PARTY!!" nt

[paleotn]

13. But I thought he was a socialist....

...or even a communist. I wish they'd get their pejoratives straight.

[99th_Monkey]

16. I don't think the Tea Party brain is wired correctly

so as to pick up any distinction between commie, fascist or socialist.

They all bad, ... very very bad.

[Daemonaquila]

19. Wait, "brain?"

Is that a trick question? They have brains?

[obama2terms]

9. Game over tea party!

Check Mate.

[geek tragedy]

11. Waiting for the DUers who claimed "the federal government was using the IRS to harass

and intimidate political opponents of the President" to publicly eat their words.

[Boomerproud]

25. I'm waiting for all the jabberwockys on Faux to eat their words.

It won't happen so I won't wait.

[hay rick]

45. Quotation marks suggest you are quoting somebody.

Perhaps you have a link?

[geek tragedy]

46. Eh, the search function will provide those.

IRS dissent intimidate harass Obama

[Ash_F]

14. Any occupy group is going to be way less partisan than any Teaparty group. /nt

[LeftInTX]

21. Maybe Occupy is more ethical and smarter

I often wondered why Occupy didn't sponsor political candidates like the Tea Party. Maybe it is because Occupy is trying to work within the rules and maintain themselves as an advocacy group while the Tea Party is trying to skirt (aka break) the rules.

[Luschnig]

17. First come first examined

I understand this list was an attempt at triage but if people object to this then method then it should be first come first serve and everyone back in line have to wait until earlier requests are fully examined.

[Daemonaquila]

18. Very important - let's spread this everywhere!

Not only does it show that the GOP butthurt is all a political ploy, but it's incontrovertible proof that Darrel Issa is a liar and a political hack. If they want to impeach someone, impeach Issa for lying to his committee, congress, and the American people.

[jimlup]

22. Serves the "Tea Party" interests to only tell half the truth...

That's how they've been making a living. Only telling the "facts" as and when the choose. Make no mistake. These "Tea Party" folks are the useful idiots of many factions in our society.

[JoeyT]

23. I'm not sure I'd call that "targetting".

It sounds like exactly the sort of groups that shouldn't be applying for that kind of tax exempt status...You know, political ones. So it was more like a case of them just doing their job.

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. But nobody else whines like a tea-bagger

They had to fill out extra forms and answer hard questions. Questions with words they had to look up.

[rucky]

27. Why didn't they say this from day one?

instead of apologizing.

Now it sounds like BS, even though it's true.

[Kablooie]

28. Well of course 'progressive', 'occupy' and 'Israel' were reasonable.

But 'TEA PARTY'!! No way! It's unAmerican!
They should all be sent to prison!!!!

[Tx4obama]

29. Kick n/t

[Douglas Carpenter]

30. New York Times

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — The instructions that Internal Revenue Service officials used to look for applicants seeking tax-exempt status with “Tea Party” and “Patriots” in their titles also included groups whose names included the words “Progressive” and “Occupy,” according to I.R.S. documents released Monday.

The documents appeared to back up contentions by I.R.S. officials and some Democrats that the agency did not intend to single out conservative groups for special scrutiny. Instead, the documents say, officials were trying to use “key word” shortcuts to find overtly political organizations — both liberal and conservative — that were after tax favors by saying they were social welfare organizations.

But the practice appeared to go much farther than that. One such “be on the lookout” list included medical marijuana groups, organizations that were promoting President Obama’s health care law, and applications that dealt “with disputed territories in the Middle East.”

Taken together, the documents seem to change the terms of a scandal that exploded over accusations that the I.R.S. had tried to stifle a nascent conservative political movement. Instead, the dispute now revolves around questionable sorting tactics used by I.R.S. application screeners.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/us/politics/documents-show-liberals-in-irs-dragnet.html?_r=0

[Lugal Zaggesi]

31. That's terrible

Using names that imply the group will try to affect elections,
to look more closely at groups applying for special tax breaks because they are promising not to spend the majority of their money on affecting elections ?

These groups deserve the same neglect from vastly overworked and understaffed IRS groups as all the other groups trying to get special tax breaks and anonymous donor privileges. If the IRS only has the staff and resources to investigate 1 out of 50 applications, everyone should get the same 49/50 chance of pulling a fast one.

What's next - choosing people for extra screening at airport security NOT based on a random roll of the dice ?
Why should that nice 29 year old Muslim man student visiting from Pakistan get more scrutiny than a white grandmother from Peoria, Illinois?

[PSPS]

32. LOL. Doing a proper enforcement job has now been declared "targeting" by the corporate/state media

What next?

Police TARGETED crooks
Firemen TARGETED fires

I would like to think the IRS should be scrutinizing any application for tax-exempt status, especially with this 501c4 charade. The fact that every politician in Washington, regardless of party, feels compelled to dump on the IRS for simply doing its job makes me think that, to them, it's a necessary and desired money laundering scheme they all rely on for their vigorish. They apparently expect the IRS to just rubber stamp every application that comes along.

[SunSeeker]

36. Of course. That is why the only group denied tax exempt status was a progressive org. nt

[lcordero2]

37. you wanna know something

Up to a point I can't really even begin to understand how tax exempt status can be given out.

With tax exempt status somebody is getting the benefit of representation without getting taxed.
This should even be happening unless it is a true charity organization.

[brett_jv]

38. Seriously ... we're JUST hearing about this NOW ... BECAAAAAUSE?!?

Now that the entire world has heard (from some news outlet or another) roughly 100 times by now that "ZOMG the IRS was targetting the Tea Party!!111!!!'

NOW ... we finally get the actual TRUTH?

This is a MAJOR WTF right here. Assuming this story is true, then the way this whole thing went down absolutely STINKS to high heaven.

Especially pissed about the way the WaPo handled this friggin' story. Faux, I expect the coverage THEY have given it, along w/Issa. BUt the NYT and WaPo have done every bit as much of an irresponsible hatchet job if you ask me.

[Eric J in MN]

41. The delay in the truth coming out is may be because the IRS

...was afraid of violating privacy laws by releasing this information.

[merrily]

39. The story raises several issues.

One, the IRS was using improper criteria. It does not matter if it was using improper criteria for both the right and left. The criteria were improper.

Not for profit organization are allowed to educate the public about political issues.

501(c)(4) organizations may inform the public on controversial subjects and attempt to influence legislation relevant to its program[38] and, unlike 501(c)(3) organizations, they may also participate in political campaigns and elections, as long as its primary activity is the promotion of social welfare.[39] The tax exemption for 501(c)(4) organizations applies to most of their operations, but contributions may be subject to gift tax, and income spent on political activities - generally the advocacy of a particular candidate in an election - is taxable.[40] An "action" organization generally qualifies as a 501(c)(4) organization.[41] An "action" organization is one whose activities substantially include, or are exclusively,[42] direct lobbying or grass roots lobbying related to advocacy for or against legislation or proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation that is related to its purpose.[43] A 501(c)(4) organization may directly or indirectly support or oppose a candidate for public office as long as such activities are not a substantial amount of its activities.[32][44]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501%28c%29_organization#501.28c.29.284.29

Two, Congress was lied to on more than one occasion when it tried to perform its oversight function.

Three, the WH gave the public the impression that the Acting Head of the IRS had been required to resign over this, when in fact, his so called resignation was to be effective on the date he was already set to retire.

Four, despite all the brouhaha, the IRS continued to use improper criteria until two weeks ago.

But, that all gets lost over whether the IRS treated the left as unlawfully as it treated the right.

Very discouraging.

[geek tragedy]

42. It's not even a scandal if it wasn't based on viewpoint discrimination.

Improper bureaucratic procedures, maybe. But it's not being driven by an impermissible political agenda, ergo no real scandal of note.

[Lugal Zaggesi]

44. BS

EVERY organization applying for this special tax break is supposed to be investigated.

The fact that the IRS isn't given enough resources to do what the law requires after the Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates, and therefore has to come up with some way to select a subset of applications to actually get to,

only shows how dysfunctional Congressional funding is.
The same dysfunctional funding that led to the SEC not finding out about Bernie Madoff.

Whining about who they actually got around to investigating - rather than why aren't ALL applicants investigated - is missing the point.

[Eric J in MN]

40. On NPR this morning, the teaser for this story said, "IRS Targetting More Extreme"

...Than Previously Thought," since the IRS used more search terms.

The teaser didn't say what the terms were, and so a listener was given the impression that it was other terms used by conservative groups.

Not "Progressive" and "Occupy."

Anyway, the IRS should be on the lookout for groups using political terms seeking tax-exempt status which political groups can't legally get.

[question everything]

43. Time to eliminate this 501(4)(c) section

altogether, or bring it back to community education exclusively
.

[Thor_MN]

47. From what I see, the story is that Issa commissioned a politically biased audit

The reason that "progressive" was not mention in the IRS Inspector General's report is that Issa asked them to look at targeting of Tea Baggers. They took a very literal approach and ignored everything else.

So the actual political bias in this was created by none other than Issa.