Posted on 07/11/2005 6:28:32 AM PDT by CyberAnt
CNSNews.com) -- A conservative advocacy group says it will not be intimidated by pressure from Sen. Dick Durbin's office.
Move America Forward, a group that supports the U.S. military and wants to eject the United Nations from the United States, is currently running broadcast ads criticizing Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, for comparing U.S. troops at Guantanamo Bay to Nazis, Soviets in their gulags or mad regimes like Pol Pot's.
"But these aren't the faces of torturers, the ad says: "They're the heroic men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. They're our sons and daughters fighting for the cause of freedom around the world. Support our troops, at MoveAmericaForward.com."
Durbin's office is trying to silence Move America Forward, the group says, by hinting to an Illinois newspaper (the Northwest Herald of Crystal Lake) that the Internal Revenue Service should audit Move America Forward.
Someone from Durbin's office was quoted as telling the newspaper - in connection with Move America Forward -- "Have you ever seen that H&R Block commercial where the guy leans in and says, 'I see an audit'?"
"For the office of a United States senator to threaten reprisals from the IRS against an organization that is supporting our troops in harm's way is absolutely reprehensible," said Mark Washburn, executive director of Move America Forward.
"One of the grounds used to threaten impeachment of President Richard Nixon was that he politicized the IRS and tried to use IRS audits of his political enemies to shut them down or silence them. That is precisely what Senator Durbin's office is doing now, Washburn said.
"There is no place for that in American politics, and Senator Durbin must be held accountable."
Move America Forward also accused Durbin's office of pressuring Illinois television stations not to run the television ad criticizing Durbin's remarks about U.S. troops at Guantanamo Bay.
According to Move America Forward, two television stations have buckled under the pressure, including the ABC and NBC affiliates in Chicago. Both stations are refusing to run Move America Forward's ad, it says, although CBS's Chicago affiliate is running it.
Move America Forward said it will not be intimidated. It said it will continue to air the ad on Illinois network affiliates and nationwide on cable news networks despite the pressure from Durbin.
Last month, Durbin -- reading from an FBI memo on the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay -- commented: "If I read this to you and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime -- Pol Pot or others -- that had no concern for human beings."
Three days later, Durbin clarified but did not apologize for his comments. But a week later, Durbin formally apologized -- to people who were offended by his remarks:
"Some may believe that my remarks crossed the line," Durbin said on June 21. "To them I extend my heartfelt apologies."
Becoming emotional, Durbin also apologized directly to the U.S. military. "They're the best. I never, ever intended any disrespect for them," he said.
Copyright © 1998-2005 CNSNews.com - Cybercast News Service
Apparently, Durbin learned from Clinton how to intimidate people by using the IRS.
Let this POS try using the IRS. He ain't seen nothing yet.
His show is going to be very interesting today.
I wonder how many audits Moveon.org has had done????
Um........I think move america forward is overreacting here to an obvious joke.
On the face of it, its quite doubtful that a federal agency would initiate an audit at the request of a member of the opposition party against a conservative group.
Of course the IRS audited very many conservative groups in the 90's but that's because Clinton was Prez.
I know WND also had an audit - and it was nasty.
What every person who pays taxes hates more than almost anything is to have the IRS harassing them.
If people think that Durban is using his power to influence the IRS to audit someone they will be outraged.
I am pretty sure they went after Heritage Foundation too.
Clinton used the FBI and the IRS as his personal retribution army.
Rush said it had something to do with the number of days he had been in NYC at the WABC offices - and did his show from there.
That was the claim for why he owed employment taxes in the state. We all know that NO DEMOCRAT would ever have to pay those dollars.
Melanie Morgan is NOT someone I would want to have on a vendetta against me.
She will never back down.
Well .. it isn't whether or not the agency COULD DO ANYTHING .. it's the FACT that Durbin chose to say that he was going to use the IRS to shut MAF up. Even though he doesn't have the power to do that .. the THREAT should be taken seriously - because that is INTIMIDATION - and when US Senators use the govt to intimidate the citizenry - something is very wrong.
Of course the IRS audited very many conservative groups in the 90's but that's because Clinton was Prez.
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So typical of the bottom-feeding left. They don't realize what a hornet's nest they will get hit with if they try their back-alley tactics with MAF. I welcome their attempt to harass organizations like MAF for EXPOSING THE TRUTH AND REALITY of these treasonous scum....just try it!!!
I agree .. I'm getting discouraged by the actions of our senators. They seem to feel it's more important to "make nice" than to get in these senators' faces and tell them the truth.
Hey, isn't that what the Left continuously accuses Nixon of doing? Using the IRs to intimidate people?
You got that right .. and she's in Iraq - gathering the truth about what's going on there.
I have loved watching the liberal media falling all over themselves whining and complaining about these "non-journalists" going to Iraq and being used by the govt to spread propaganda. Some of them have said that this isn't right - because they are going there with a PRE-CONCEIVED OPINION OF IRAQ - but of course the left isn't .. LOL!
Yes they do - and frequently! But .. they never mention all the people who were audited during the Clinton years - and none of them were Clinton pals.
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