Source:
Fox News The IRS acknowledging that it targeted conservative political groups during the 2012 election season has sparked bipartisan calls for investigation -- with House Republicans already saying they will hold a hearing on the issue.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Friday the Republican-led chamber would investigate the tax-collecting agency for flagging the groups for additional review to see whether they were violating their tax-exempt status.
“The IRS cannot target or intimidate any individual or organization based on their political beliefs,” the Virginia Republican said.
Cantor’s comments were followed within minutes by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp saying he would hold a hearing.
Read more:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/11/house-republicans-swiftly-announce-hearing-on-irs-targeting-conservative-groups/
Here is the latest effort by Republicans and Conservative media to try to spin their efforts to break the law and funnel millions in to Dark
Money 501(c)(4) organizations into an conspiracy by Democrats and political watchdogs as the ones breaking the law. To begin with, campaign contributions are NOT tax deductible and only organizations that principally engaged in social welfare should be tax exempt. Yet, many overtly political and right wing groups obtained tax exempt status with the most notable being Karl Rove's group Crossroads GPS.
Now, Republicans are complaining that the IRS flagged groups that had the word "Tea Party" in their applications for tax exempt status as potentially being engaged in political activity, as opposed to social welfare. All, I can say is, I should hope so! I mean if someone sends in an application for a group called, "Win back the White House in 2014," I would hope that the IRS does not just rubber stamp it as a social welfare group. Yet, this is exactly what Republicans are claiming should be one with respect to Tea Party groups, which were engaged in significant political activity such as Rove's Crossroads GPS.
When I contribute to a Democratic candidate, my name gets disclosed. Why should billionaires be able to hide their identities and contributions of dark money to right wing groups pretending to be 501(c)(4) social welfare groups?
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/217987-irs-takes-heat-from-gop-dems-over-tea-party-groups-tax-exempt-status
The Internal Revenue Service is taking heat from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers for its oversight of certain groups engaging in political activity, in particular Tea Party organizations seeking tax-exempt status.
In recent weeks, GOP lawmakers have followed up with the agency over complaints from Tea Party groups that feel the IRS is unfairly targeting their applications for tax-exempt status.
But on the other end of the spectrum, some Democrats on Capitol Hill have been asserting that the IRS is not looking carefully enough at groups seeking a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) designation, a label given to organizations principally engaged in social welfare.
Doug Shulman, the IRS commissioner, defended his agency’s efforts during congressional hearings last week, stressing that the IRS prides itself on being nonpartisan and that the rules surrounding tax-exempt groups are complex.
