Quote from Max E. Pad:
Might be one of the dumber questions I have ever seen posted on this site.
You are trying to argue against something that has already been established by the IRS, they already admit they intentionally targeted right wing groups. [/QUOT
I don't think they admitted that they targeted them because they were right wing, did they? That's the only important issue here.
It likely will turn out that new organizations applying for section 527 status are targeted period. It is probable that The IRS is asking for proof that the Tea Party's activities were qualified under section 527 rules because that's an area ripe for cheating. Some of the info the IRS asked for, assuming it's not being presented out of context by either the media or the Tea Party folks, looks to be bordering on the ridiculous. The IRS better have a good justification.
Why don't these congressmen call up people directly involved and ask them what's going on? Instead they're questioning folks far removed from the activities in question, and then not letting them complete a sentence. They aren't going to find out anything useful that way. But it seems that getting at the truth is not what this is about. Looks like it is purely political on the part of Congress. Oh well, business as usual I guess.
But what about the IRS, did they target the Tea Party because it was right wing, or did they target it because it wanted 527 status for certain questionable activities? Don't suppose any one will ever get around to asking that simple question.
If what Ricter quotes above, viz, the Tea Party was claiming to be a "Social Welfare Organization," then in effect they were asking to be to be targeted for a close look by the IRS. It would be ironic if after all the political grandstanding is over, and the smoke clears, that it turns out that the IRS did exactly the right thing and went strictly by the book.
