IRS apologizes for targeting conservative groups in 2012.

[Spata]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...gy-conservative-groups-2012-election/2149939/

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service is apologizing for inappropriately flagging conservative political groups for additional reviews during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.

Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS unit that oversees tax-exempt groups, said organizations that included the words "tea party" or "patriot" in their applications for tax-exempt status were singled out for additional reviews.

Lerner said the practice, initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati, was wrong and she apologized while speaking at a conference in Washington.

Many conservative groups complained during the election that they were being harassed by the IRS. They said the agency asked them an inordinate number of questions to justify their tax-exempt status.

Certain tax-exempt charitable groups can conduct political activities but it cannot be their primary activity.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



Civil rights violation or what?

 

[grizzly97]

Well, at least they fessed up to it, unlike some other people.

 

[Old Fart]

Well now that they apologized I guess we can forget about it.

 

[Spata]

Well now that they apologized I guess we can forget about it.

Yeah, because it was a long time ago, right?

 

[Dale00]

Yeah, because it was a long time ago, right?

And done by low level officials so it doesn't count.

...In some cases, groups were asked for their list of donors, which violates IRS policy in most cases, she said.

"That was wrong. That was absolutely incorrect, it was insensitive and it was inappropriate. That's not how we go about selecting cases for further review," Lerner said at a conference sponsored by the American Bar Association.

"The IRS would like to apologize for that," she added.

Lerner said the practice was initiated by low-level workers in Cincinnati and was not motivated by political bias. After her talk, she told The AP that no high level IRS officials knew about the practice. She did not say when they found out.

Many conservative groups complained during the election that they were being harassed by the IRS. They accused the agency of frustrating their attempts to become tax exempt by sending them lengthy, intrusive questionnaires.

The forms, which the groups made available at the time, sought information about group members' political activities, including details of their postings on social networking websites and about family members.

Certain tax-exempt charitable groups can conduct political activities but it cannot be their primary activity.

IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman told Congress in March 2012 that the IRS was not targeting groups based on their political views.

"There's absolutely no targeting. This is the kind of back and forth that happens to people" who apply for tax-exempt status, Shulman told a House Ways and Means subcommittee.

Shulman was appointed by President George W. Bush. His 6-year term ended in November. President Barack Obama has yet to nominate a successor. The agency is now being run by acting Commissioner Steven Miller.

http://news.yahoo.com/irs-apologizes-targeting-conservative-groups-144349480.html

 

[grizzly97]

Yeah, because it was a long time ago, right?

Exactly! Plus, what difference does it make? It's not like anyone will be punished anyways.

 

[uncle money bags]

Exactly! Plus, what difference does it make? It's not like anyone will be punished anyways.

right on, its easy to apologize when there are no consequences.

 

[grizzly97]

right on, its easy to apologize when there are no consequences.

Very true! The gubment just says "hey, don't do that again, and here's a raise." (to their own people obviously)

 

[Street Rat]

Does this mean We the People can abolish the IRS now?