Posted on 01/31/2018 10:51:23 AM PST by Titus-Maximus
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today released new Department of Justice (DOJ) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documents that include an official “DOJ Recap” report detailing an October 2010 meeting between Lois Lerner, DOJ officials and the FBI to plan for the possible criminal prosecution of targeted nonprofit organizations for alleged illegal political activity.
The newly obtained records also reveal that the Obama DOJ wanted IRS employees who were going to testify to Congress to turn over documents to the DOJ before giving them to Congress. Records also detail how the Obama IRS gave the FBI 21 computer disks, containing 1.25 million pages of confidential IRS returns from 113,000 nonprofit social 501(c)(4) welfare groups – or nearly every 501(c)(4) in the United States – as part of its prosecution effort. According to a letter from then-House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, “This revelation likely means that the IRS – including possibly Lois Lerner – violated federal tax law by transmitting this information to the Justice Department.”
The documents were produced subsequent to court orders in two Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits: Judicial Watch v. Internal Revenue Service (No. 1:14-cv-01956) and Judicial Watch v. Department of Justice (No. 1:14-cv-01239).
The new IRS documents include a October 11, 2010 “DOJ Recap” memo sent by IRS Exempt Organizations Tax Law Specialist Siri Buller to Lerner and other top IRS officials explaining an October 8 meeting with representatives from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and “one representative from the FBI” to discuss the possible criminal prosecution of nonprofit organizations for alleged political activity:
On October 8, 2010, Lois Lerner, Joe Urban [IRS Technical Advisor, TEGE], Judy Kindell [top aide to Lerner], Justin Lowe [Technical Advisor to the Commissioner of Tax-Exempt and Government Entities], and Siri Buller met with the section chief and other attorneys from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and one representative from the FBI, to discuss recent attention to the political activity of exempt organizations.
The section’s attorneys expressed concern that certain section 501(c) organizations are actually political committees “posing” as if they are not subject to FEC law, and therefore may be subject to criminal liability. The attorneys mentioned several possible theories to bring criminal charges under FEC law. In response, Lois and Judy eloquently explained the following points:
Under section 7805(b), we may only revoke or modify an organization’s exemption retroactively if it omitted or misstated a material fact or operated in a manner materially different from that originally represented.
If we do not have these misrepresentations, the organization may rely on our determination it is exempt. However, the likelihood of revocation is diminished by the fact that section 501(c)(4)-(c)(6) organizations are not required to apply for recognition of exemption.
We discussed the hypothetical situation of a section 501(c)(4) organization that declares itself exempt as a social welfare organization, but at the end of the taxable year has in fact functioned as a political organization. Judy explained that such an organization, in order to be in compliance, would simply file Form 1120-POL and paying tax at the highest corporate rate. Lois stated that although we do not believe that organizations which are subject to a civil audit subsequently receive any type of immunity from a criminal investigation, she will refer them to individuals from CI who can better answer that question. She explained that we are legally required to separate the civil and criminal aspects of any examination and that while we do not have EO law experts in CI, our FIU agents are experienced in coordinating with CI.
The attorneys asked whether a change in the law is necessary, and whether a three-way partnership among DOJ, the FEC, and the IRS is possible to prevent prohibited activity by these organizations. Lois listed a number of obstacles to the attorneys’ theories:
[REDACTED]
She pointed to Revenue Ruling 2004-6, which was drafted in light of the electioneering communication rules before they were litigated.
Just prior this meeting, the IRS began the process of providing the FBI confidential taxpayer information on nonprofit groups. An IRS document confirms the IRS supplied the FBI with 21 disks containing 1.25 million pages of taxpayer records:
The FBI and DOJ were receiving tax returns illegally. They were targeting political opponents of Obama.
How can they investigate corruption when they were part of it?
WUT? An opponent to the lyin’ king? I thought they didn’t exist.
Another question to be asked: Why are the Republicans not doing anything about this?
Cops investigating other cops have always been to root of all corruption
Coordinated attacks on conservative nonprofit organizations.
Pull his passport!
Had Valerie “Lizard Face” Jarette’s fingerprints all over it!..................
The Obama IRS was weaponized to bring down opponents of his policies and his views. The FBI and DOJ were part of it. Was Mueller in charge of the FBI during that time? I’m thinking he was there with Holder.
Why are these people not in prison?
Why are they still getting my taxpayer money to spend?
What is Sessions doing?.........................
On this matter, I would say it’s understandable Democrats did such a thing. The problem is with gop. They do not do such a thing. That’s stupid if and naive. I say Trump should pursue them in every possible way
Not sure how relevant this is since Sessions settled IRS lawsuits back in October 2017 - can they be reopened?
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/justice-department-settles-irs-lawsuits/index.html
Ping !
Even Comey is conflicted in this entire debacle, he was the General Counsel of Lockheed Martin, had the company make a big contribution to the Clinton Global Fund. This is never spoken of but how could he investigate the Fund for its obvious corruption if he was a contributor?
Another question to be asked: Why are the Republicans not doing anything about this?
Gosh, this would have been so much easier for them if Hilary had just won like she was supposed to.
Civil suits have nothing to do with criminality.
The DOJ/FBI illegally obtained private tax information from the IRS. Crimes were committed and they were never prosecuted.
The power to tax is rhe power to destroy. Obama and his socialist-democrat thugs wielded the tax code like a club to crush any dissenting voices.
One more reason to abolish the IRS and 16th amendment altogether.
Damn The Deep State.
True.
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