[EL] "Progressive" "Occupy" and "Israel" Groups Also Targeted by IRS

[Smith, Brad]

Yes, that's right. And that still seems to be what the evidence shows. And it's really, really bad. But is it better if the evidence shows that the IRS also targeted other groups - Occupy, Israel - generally, it sounds, like other groups outside the mainstream? That changes the nature of the scandal, if true, but I'm not at all sure it makes it better.



Bradley A. Smith

Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault

   Professor of Law

Capital University Law School

303 E. Broad St.

Columbus, OH 43215

614.236.6317

http://law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.aspx

________________________________
From: Mark Schmitt [schmitt.mark at gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 8:31 PM
To: Smith, Brad
Cc: Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
Subject: Re: [EL] "Progressive" "Occupy" and "Israel" Groups Also Targeted by IRS


On June 7,replying to Michael McDonald, you wrote:

" the criteria, even if it swept in a few liberal groups, was specifically designed to search for words and phrases more common among groups loosely part of a certain high-profile, highly decentralized, conservative grassroots movement, and therefore was by definition politically motivated. Groups were not pulled for more scrutiny because their applications indicated political activity as the IRS defines it, but because they had certain buzzwords that the Service deemed to be associated with a conservative movement. It appears that if two applications matched word for word, except that one used certain buzzwords associated with a conservative groundswell in its name and another did not, the former was pulled and the latter was not."

On Jun 24, 2013 3:43 PM, "Smith, Brad" <BSmith at law.capital.edu<mailto:BSmith at law.capital.edu>> wrote:
Does this make it better, or worse? I'm inclined to say worse.


Bradley A. Smith

Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault

   Professor of Law

Capital University Law School

303 E. Broad St.

Columbus, OH 43215

614.236.6317<tel:614.236.6317>

http://law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.aspx

________________________________
From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu<mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu> [law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu<mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu>] on behalf of Jonathan Singer [jonathanhsinger at gmail.com<mailto:jonathanhsinger at gmail.com>]
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 4:44 PM
To: Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu<mailto:Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu>
Subject: [EL] "Progressive" "Occupy" and "Israel" Groups Also Targeted by IRS

According to the AP<http://www.boston.com/business/personal-finance/taxes/2013/06/24/new-irs-chief-inappropriate-screening-was-broader/EouWCeb1D4IhdADJyJr5yO/story.html>, IRS screening was not limited to "Tea Party" groups or groups with names that indicated a conservative lean, but also included groups with left-leaning names as well:
The Internal Revenue Service’s screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader and lasted longer than has been previously disclosed, the new head of the agency said Monday.

An internal IRS document obtained by The Associated Press said that besides ‘‘tea party,’’ lists used by screeners to pick groups for close examination also included the terms ‘‘Israel,’’ ‘'Progressive’’ and ‘‘Occupy.’’ The document said an investigation into why specific terms were included was still underway.

The story continues here: http://www.boston.com/business/personal-finance/taxes/2013/06/24/new-irs-chief-inappropriate-screening-was-broader/EouWCeb1D4IhdADJyJr5yO/story.html


--

Jonathan Singer
(503) 705-2952<tel:%28503%29%20705-2952>

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