IIRC, it was Schumer that urged the IRS to do this three years ago, and led to the IRS abuses. This is what happens when things like the IRS vs TEA Party fiasco go unpunished.
I’m looking at you, Speaker Bonehead and Chairman Issa.
Over the last three years, Democratic senators repeatedly and publicly pressured the IRS to engage in the very activities that they are only now condemning today.
As the New York Times reported back in 2010 :
And the Republicans are also upset about an I.R.S. review requested by Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who leads the Finance Committee, into the political activities of tax-exempt groups.
From Max Baucus to Chuck Schumer to Jeanne Shaheen, key Senate Democrats publicly pressured the IRS to target groups that held differing political views and who, in their view, had the temerity to engage in the political process. The IRS listened to them and acted. And other Democrat senators like Kay Hagan and Mark Pryor said and did nothing about it.
May 17, 2013
As recently as last year, seven Democratic Senators sent a letter to the IRS “urging them to similarly investigate these outside political organizations.” According to a press release from one signer of the letter, Senator Schumer, the letter “was signed by Senators Charles E. Schumer, Michael Bennet, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, Tom Udall, Jeanne Shaheen and Al Franken. It follows an earlier letter, sent to the IRS by the same of group of senators last month, that also urged the IRS to better enforce rules pertaining to 501(c)4 organizations.”