Posted on 05/13/2013 12:37:10 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
In the wake of an admission by an IRS official that conservative groups had been targeted for additional scrutiny, Rep. Michael Turner will introduce legislation Monday that would increase the penalty for singling out ideological organizations —including the possibility of jail time.
Turner, a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said news about the IRS is an example of abuse of government power.
“Across the country, people are appalled to learn the IRS targeted people because of their political beliefs,” the Ohio Republican told POLITICO. “These are issues of basic rights of expression.”
He added, “This is an issue of whether or not authority has been abused in the government. They were doing this for all the wrong reasons.”
Turner’s bill would expressly prohibit an IRS employee from discriminating against a group or individual based on protected statuses. It also expressly states that political speech and expression are protected statuses and protect all political speech from being targeted by the IRS — not just that of conservative groups.
IRS employees are already prohibited from discriminating in the course of the work, but the highest level of punishment is termination. Under Turner’s law, the penalty would be increased to a fine up to $5,000, five years in prison or both.
The increased sanctions are in line with the current sanctions for an administration official who directs employees to do the same thing.
On Friday, an IRS official acknowledged that the agency flagged 75 conservative groups for extra review because their names included “tea party” or “patriot.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
I remember reading somewhere in ancient history about a group of people that fought a war over taxes without proper representation. They just don’t make people like that anymore.
“$5,000, five years in prison or both”
Not enough. Whatever the greatest penalty that can be given for a tax violation is, they should receive a multiple of that, say five times. To violate the trust that is given to them should scare the daylights out them.
That’s what we need, more laws.............
abuse by the government against the citizens should be twice what it is in the private sector, and vice-versa
If you are caught commiting fraud against the government your sentence is twice as much with MANDATORY jail time.
They should institute that law and grant a one-year amnest for reporting fraud, so it can be stopped in the future.
Holder will get right on that
BRILLIANT
Sounds more like those in Washington don't want their tax records EVER scrutinized in the future.
I wonder if Turner’s bill demands recompense/correction of the wrongs PRIOR to the levying of fines and incarceration. What good is the punishment if the groups that were adversely affected aren’t made whole? This is ridiculous. Because the crime worked, the victims remain unavenged and uncompensated?
RE: That’s what we need, more laws.............
As long as is it is to put the fear of God on the IRS, I all FOR IT!!
Screw the fine. Someone from the DNC could pay that off.
10 years in prison and forfeiture of all pensions and benefits, including prior military.
Make it hurt.
Same should go for poll workers and any government employee who voilates the trust.
Geeeee, where’s the ACLU????????? Isn’t this an actual freedom of speech issue?
This should be played for all it’s worth in regard to ObamaCare. If we had a GOP that was worth a crap, they’d have a coherent talking point on it already.
Chicken sh*t! Make it on par with what the IRS can dish out in terms of fines and incarceration!
BUMP!
__________
Benghazi Coward B. Hussein Obama said at his presser today that concerning the IRS Punitive Taxing Scandal, and the Benghazi Massacre Cover Up Scandal, that he would do the following:
” - - - fix the system, and make sure that it never happens again. - - - “
Why, this punishment bypass technique could be used for all crimes!
No more jail time for bank robbers, alien illegal invaders from Mexico, gang and terrorist shooters and bombers, violations of the US Constitution by elected Federal politicians, etc, etc!
We could close ALL of our jails if only the criminal would promise never to repeat the same crime!
Just make sure to FIX THE SYSTEM BY PASSING LAWS SO NOBODY GETS PUNISHED, AND THUS THE CRIME WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!
This will truly be a Political Sideshow Cornerstone for The Obamanation!
$5,000 or 5 years in prison is enough? You’ve got to be kidding. We were audited for tax years 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, starting in 2010. These bastards put us through Hell — physically, emotionally, and financially. We were interviewed and our files examined in a small room lined with pictures of black Marxists for MOST OF A YEAR.
Toto, this isn’t America anymore.
It’s just paper and kobuki ....
This is what bothers me about our leaders. Are they telling me there are no laws on the books today that could be used against the IRS people who singled out Conservatives?
I don’t believe that at all.
And so, by introducing new legislation, our team in effect says, “Well we can’t do anything to these folks, but boy if it every happens again...” That’s pure B. S., and it amounts to nothing more than giving these IRS perps cover.
Sounds like a waste of time since the president can pardon anyone he or his administration has directed to misuse authority against citizens. The problem IMHO is an administration drunk on power not an IRS office acting out of protocol.
This will just be another law that Attorney General Holder will not enforce.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.