New Records: IRS Targeted Progressive Groups More Extensively Than Tea Party
By Josh Israel and Adam Peck April 23, 2014 at 12:56 pm Updated: April 23, 2014 at 1:34 pm
"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 âreceived systematic scrutiny because of their political beliefs.â The 22 âBe On the Look Outâ 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.
<img src="http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/irs_foia-65.jpg">
"The IRS provided the heavily-redacted lists to ThinkProgress, after nearly a year-long search. From the earliest lists through 2012, the âhistoricalâ section of the lists encouraged reviewers to watch out for âprogressiveâ groups with names like âblue,â as their requests for 501(c)(3) charitable status might be inappropriate. Their inclusion in this section suggests that the concern predates the initial 2010 list."
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By Josh Israel and Adam Peck April 23, 2014 at 12:56 pm Updated: April 23, 2014 at 1:34 pm
"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 âreceived systematic scrutiny because of their political beliefs.â The 22 âBe On the Look Outâ 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.
<img src="http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/irs_foia-65.jpg">
"The IRS provided the heavily-redacted lists to ThinkProgress, after nearly a year-long search. From the earliest lists through 2012, the âhistoricalâ section of the lists encouraged reviewers to watch out for âprogressiveâ groups with names like âblue,â as their requests for 501(c)(3) charitable status might be inappropriate. Their inclusion in this section suggests that the concern predates the initial 2010 list."
More>>