Posted on 04/08/2017 11:54:51 AM PDT by jazusamo
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Documents Confirm that Obama IRS Improperly Targeted Conservatives
We continue to undercover the details of the Obama IRS’ arbitrary and capricious behavior toward those presumed to be “enemies” of President Obama.
This week we released 695 pages of new documents containing admissions by IRS officials that the agency used “inappropriate political labels” to screen the tax-exempt applications of conservative organizations. Other records reveal that the IRS was going to require 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations to restrict their alleged political activities if they opted for “expedited consideration” of their tax-exempt applications.
The documents were produced after a revelation by the IRS that it had located “an additional 6,924 documents of potentially responsive records” relating to a 2015 Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit about the Obama IRS targeting scandal. These new records are the first batch of nearly 7,000 documents that had been hidden from JW, Congress, and the American people. (Our FOIA lawsuit seeks records about the IRS’ selection of individuals and organizations for audits based upon applications requesting nonprofit tax status filed by Tea Party and other 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organizations ( Judicial Watch v. Internal Revenue Service (No. 1:15-cv-00220)).
Of the 695 pages of documents released by the IRS, 422 (61%) were completely blacked out. Again, this new material was not in the “ Congressional Database ,” which the IRS created in 2013 to house records responsive to congressional inquiries into the IRS scandal.
Nevertheless, we extracted some key info – such as a June 20, 2013, memo from Karen Schiller, then-acting director, EO (Exempt Organizations) Rulings and Agreements, suspending use of the controversial Be on the Lookout (BOLO) and Touch and Go (TAG) lists:
EO Rulings and Agreements is undertaking a comprehensive review of screening and identification of critical issues. We intend to develop proper procedures and uses for these types of documents. Until a more formal process for identification, approval and distribution of this type of data is established, Rulings and Agreements will not use this technique to elevate issues.
In an August 9, 2013, memo , Schiller admitted the IRS used political labels in targeting the groups for special scrutiny and possible audit and that, going forward, the agency would screen organizations based only on their activities, “not words” or “labels of any kind:”
As Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel has said, the IRS has taken decisive action to eliminate the use of inappropriate political labels in the screening of 501(c)(4) applications. IRS policy is now clear that screening is based on activity, not words in a name. The new steps and current policies were outlined in the June 24 report, which noted: “In the absence of BOLO lists, the Determinations Unit will continue to screen for information affecting the determination of applications for tax exempt status, including activity tied to political campaign intervention, but it [will] be done without regard to specific labels of any kind.” The 30-day report also reflects the June 20, 2013 memorandum, which was issued to officially suspend the use of the BOLO list in the screening process.
The documents also include a “Dear [Applicant]” letter that offers an “expedited process” for 501(c)(4) groups in exchange for restriction on their activities:
This optional expedited process is currently available only to applicants for 501(c)(4) status with applications pending for more than 120 days as of May 28, 2013, that indicate the organization may be involved in political campaign intervention.
In this optional process, an organization will represent that it satisfies, and will continue to satisfy, set percentages with respect to the level of its social welfare activities and political campaign intervention activities (as defined in the specific instructions on pages 5-7). These percentage representations are not an interpretation of law but are a safe harbor for those organizations that choose to participate in the optional process.
In short, the Obama IRS, after lawlessly delaying the approval of Tea Party group applications, tried to extort restrictions – which had no basis in law – on these very same groups.
On September 30, 2013, Acting Director, Exempt Organizations, Kenneth C. Corbin, sent a memo to IRS staff providing detailed guidance on classifying applications when “‘merit approval’ is not an option,” emphasizing that the determination is to be based on “facts and circumstances,” not “words and labels:”
Classifier reviews the application and determines if it should be routed to a specialty group. This determination is based upon facts and circumstances of the stated activities within Part II of the application rather than names or labels. This is consistent with Karen Schiller’s August 9, 2013 memorandum …
The Schiller and Corbin memos came on the heels of the May 14, 2013, Inspector General report revealing that the IRS had singled out groups using conservative-sounding terms such as “patriot” and “Tea Party” when applying for tax-exempt status. The IG probe determined that “Early in Calendar Year 2010, the IRS began using inappropriate criteria to identify organizations applying for tax-exempt status (e.g., lists of past and future donors)” and “delayed processing of targeted groups’ applications” in advance of the 2012 presidential election.
No wonder the Obama IRS hid these records. These new smoking-gun documents contain admissions by the Obama IRS that it inappropriately targeted conservative groups. But the records also show that the abuse continued – as the Obama IRS tried to force conservative applicants to give up their First Amendment rights in order to finally get their applications granted.
JW Exposes Dangerous Criminals Protected by Texas Sanctuary City Policy
Off the Wall Ping!
Contact to be added.
The fact that Obama hid the records shows criminal intent. Not that hiding records is anything unusual with Demonrats.
We have more documentation and proof of democrat criminality and less actual action against the criminals than anyone could ever have imagined a generation or two ago.
Think of the insane level of the hounding and persecution of President Nixon over Watergate.
And compare it to the total lack of action today against criminal politicians whose crimes are 1,000 times worse than his.
On the scale of criminal severity Nixon ranks down around the “Hand In The Cookie Jar” level while the crimes of Obama and his administration are somewhere up in the stratosphere.
Yet so far there has been zero accountability.
Do congressional hearings of criminal wrongdoing ever actually accomplish anything?
Or are they basically for the purpose of giving politicians free TV airtime?
Absolutely...There’s many IRS people involved in this scandal that should be prosecuted, I seriously doubt it’ll happen.
Good questions...JW seems to find out more info using the FOIA than all the congressional hearings combined.
I believe with Jeff Sessions as AG some people are going to be prosecuted whereas with the two prior AGs of 0bama’s they just abetted these law breakers.
Is Obama still in Tahiti awaiting extradition?
Where is a serous investigation and indictments?
I hope Hussein Obama stays where he needs to be extradited to get him to justice.
I hope Hussein has to be kidnapped because he refuses to return.
I hope Hussein resists arrest like his hero Osama. It was proven during that raid that Navy Seals know how to deal with traitorous Muslim scum like Obama.
OK, back to reality...... I can dream, can't I?
This needs to be addressed and the damn Evil,crooked Obama Administration. And the Democrat Party needs to be charged. If our government will not protect us we must go after these crooks anyway possible in a dead serious way. Third world countries are no more dangerous than America’s Democrat Party.
OBAMMY drew a lot of lines in the sand while in office.
most of them were in the bunkers on a golf course or the beaches while on his Hawaiian holidays and Cape Cod getaways.
We have more documentation and proof of democrat criminality and less actual action against the criminals than anyone could ever have imagined a generation or two ago.
Think of the insane level of the hounding and persecution of President Nixon over Watergate.
And compare it to the total lack of action today against criminal politicians whose crimes are 1,000 times worse than his.
On the scale of criminal severity Nixon ranks down around the “Hand In The Cookie Jar” level while the crimes of Obama and his administration are somewhere up in the stratosphere.
Yet so far there has been zero accountability.
Do congressional hearings of criminal wrongdoing ever actually accomplish anything?
Or are they basically for the purpose of giving politicians free TV airtime?
Well stated. Those hearings are “ kabuki theater” all scripted, and a few semi “ gotchas” to make the uninformed think something will happen.
Why is Lois Lerner free and Koskinen still at the IRS?
.
>> “Or are they basically for the purpose of giving politicians free TV airtime?” <<
You had to ask?
And Nixon’s motives were actually noble. He just chose the wrong kind of people to carry it out.
.
Obviously the RINOs are as guilty or they’d go after this right?
Bueller, Bueller?
bkmk
Yep, bambam has a big mouth when it comes to red lines but it was just talk, no action.
No one paid a price for instigating this police state tactic.
In short, the Obama IRS, after lawlessly delaying the approval of Tea Party group applications, tried to extort restrictions – which had no basis in law
We used to call this EXTORTION, a Felony Everywhere. Thank god nobody is going to prison and having their family broken up.
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