Posted on 10/26/2017 8:20:35 AM PDT by Rockitz
Four hundred sixty nine different plaintiffs in two class-action lawsuits over Obama-era IRS harassment settled with the Department of Justice Thursday, bringing to a close a dark chapter in the IRS’s history.
In 2010 and 2011, the IRS under Lois Lerner, particularly out of the Cincinnati field office, launched what many contended were politically motivated investigations and audits of “Tea Party” and other conservative groups. While no criminal prosecutions ever resulted, hundreds of victims assembled in class-action lawsuits against the federal government.
Attorney General Sessions appears to have largely acknowledged the plaintiffs’ claims. In a DOJ press release on the settlement, he said:
[I]t is now clear that during the last Administration, the IRS began using inappropriate criteria to screen applications for 501(c) status. These criteria included names such as “Tea Party,” “Patriots,” or “9/12” or policy positions concerning government spending or taxes, education of the public to “make America a better place to live,” or statements criticizing how the country was being run. It is also clear these criteria disproportionately impacted conservative groups.
As a result of these criteria, the IRS transferred hundreds of applications to a specifically designated group of IRS agents for additional levels of review, questioning and delay. In many instances, the IRS then requested highly sensitive information from applicants, such as donor information, that was not needed to make a determination of tax-exempt status.
In March of last year, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit criticized the Obama DOJ for its handling of the case, writing, “In this lawsuit the IRS has only compounded the conduct that gave rise to it.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
In a just world, Lerner would be in jail.
You said it.
If I were one of these groups, I’d rathher that the guilty parties do a long perp walk than the aggrieved groups getting ANY monetary settlement.
It would more than compensate.
Well, an apology is not enough. This was clearly an abuse of power and prosecutable.
Given the way this legal system shit usually goes down, FedGov swamp dwellers probably forced the acting classes to capitulate on prosecuting Lerner et. al. criminally as a stipulation in the settlement agreement.
They get some remuneration for their prior persecution.
The criminals walk with no further repercussions.
“Here’s a few million. Go away now.”
Not enough. The actions were illegal, there should be a special prosecutor, indictments should be handed down, charges filed, trials held, convictions obtained, judgements and sentences made. And if it is possible to impeach a former president for high crimes and misdemeanors, and if the shoe fits, then that should be done as well.
Righteo.
“John Koskinen, REMAINS the head of the IRS.”
PDJT just announced his replacement today. I believe Nov. 12 is the end of his time at the IRS.
You were saying:
Good call!
We have no clue what the settlement was, could have been an apology, or several million dollars.
We have no clue what the settlement was, could have been an apology, or several million dollars.
It could include retraining of all IRS auditors, new rules on political neutrality, Apologies by the agency.
Millions of dollars, easily.
We do not know.
The “IRS” didn’t do this.
People within the IRS did it.
Why aren’t they being held responsible?
Wrong.
Lerner is high enough up the ladder and was a willing, more than willing, participant in this most egregious crime.
Sure, get the person above if appropriate. But she needs to pay a heavy penalty for this.
Trying to defend her is a fool’s errand.
And that’s how Obongo get a second term...The IRS hamstrung all the groups forming to take on the whack nut in the White House.
You nailed it with:
“DOJ Settles with Tea Party Groups on Lois Lerner IRS Scandal”
These Tea Party groups were trying to start up before the 2012 election.
Lois Lerner IRS was trying to throw an election by trying to keep these groups from forming, from assembling, and from distributing their information freedom of press.
Lois Lerner IRS and those around her should be thrown in jail for:
1) throwing the 2012 election
2) keeping groups from freedom of assembly
3) keeping groups from freedom of press
She violated their civil rights.
Along with every one of those higher up in the IRS
Bring them all down @POTUS
Indict, charge and prosecute to the fullest etc...
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