[EL] more news 5/14/13

Tue May 14 14:43:21 PDT 2013

    "It's About Disclosure, Stupid; The larger failing behind the
    terrible IRS treatment of tea party groups."
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50351>

Posted on May 14, 2013 2:41 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50351> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

I've writtenthis commentary 
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/05/the_irs_tea_party_scandal_the_lesson_is_better_campaign_finance_disclosure.html> 
for /Slate/.  It begins:

    Let's not make excuses
    <http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/05/irs-scandal-tea-party-oversight.html>
    for the IRS. The agency shouldn't have subjected conservative groups
    to special scrutiny. Campaign <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50226>
    finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50157> reform groups should
    have immediately called for hearings when this scandal broke:
    Imagine the hue and cry if the IRS during the Bush administration
    had singled out "progressive" groups for special tax scrutiny and
    sent them unprecedented questions
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50173> about their contributors and
    activities. Given the danger going back to President Richard Nixon
    of using the IRS against political enemies, the agency has to be
    scrupulously nonpartisan and fair. Congressional investigations and
    the Department of Justice criminal investigation announced Tuesday
    <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/us/politics/facing-trio-of-crises-white-house-dodges-questions.html?hp>
    are inevitable and warranted.

    But the larger picture here shows why the IRS felt itself forced
    into the role of campaign finance regulator, and why people also are
    calling for the Securities and Exchange Commission
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50065> and state attorneys general
    <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/us/politics/new-york-attorney-general-enters-campaign-finance-fray.html?_r=0>
    to regulate campaign contributions. This is all about the failure of
    Congress to require the disclosure of donors who bankroll designed
    to influence elections.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

    HuffPo Posts Copy of Inspector General Report on IRS Tea Party
    Targeting <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50346>

Posted on May 14, 2013 2:30 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50346> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Here 
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/inspector-general-irs_n_3275214.html?1368566286> 
it is at HuffPo.

I have also posted it here 
<http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/201310053fr-revised-redacted-1.pdf>.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

    "IRS Official's Admission Baffled Audience At Tax Panel"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50343>

Posted on May 14, 2013 2:20 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50343> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Must read TPM 
<http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/05/lois_lerner_irs_scandal.php>:

    "We all just sort of looked at each other and couldn't quite
    understand," Ellen Aprill, a professor at Loyola Law School who was
    in the audience, told TPM on Monday. "It seemed so odd that it was
    such a detailed response to the question rather than part of her
    prepared remarks."

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

    "IRS Tea Party Targeting Came After Court Rulings Upended Agency
    Role" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50340>

Posted on May 14, 2013 11:55 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50340> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Paul Blumenthal 
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/irs-tea-party-targeting_n_3272849.html> 
reports for HuffPo.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

    "San Diego considers cap on political party donations"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50337>

Posted on May 14, 2013 10:26 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50337> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The Union Tribune reports. 
<http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/may/13/city-council-considers-cap-political-party-money/>

Information about the hearing (including a link to my prepared 
testimony) here <http://docs.sandiego.gov/ccagenda_rules_ogir/r130515.pdf>.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | 
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    If You are an AOL Subscriber and On the Election Law Listserv....
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50334>

Posted on May 14, 2013 10:14 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50334> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

the servers have kicked you off.  (I assure you, this was a decision 
made by the Cincinnati office with no input from highers-up!).

We are working on it.  Apologies.

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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off

    Quote of the Day <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50331>

Posted on May 14, 2013 8:19 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50331> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

"Mistakes were made, but they were in no way due to any political or 
partisan motivation. We are --- and will continue to be --- dedicated to 
reviewing all applications for tax-exempt status in an impartial manner."

Acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller, in USA Today oped. 
<http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/05/13/irs-exempt-organizations-editorials-debates/2156991/>

MORE 
<http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183840282/irs-controversy-revives-questions-about-tax-exempt-issues>from 
NPR.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

    "IRS Controversy Revives Questions About Tax-Exempt Issues"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50328>

Posted on May 14, 2013 8:17 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50328> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

NPR reports 
<http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183840282/irs-controversy-revives-questions-about-tax-exempt-issues>.

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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off

    "Tempest in a Teapot?" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50326>

Posted on May 14, 2013 8:16 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=50326> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Stephen Spaulding blogs 
<http://www.commonblog.com/2013/05/14/tempest-in-a-teapot/>at Common 
Cause's blog.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

-- 
Rick Hasen
Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science
UC Irvine School of Law
401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000
Irvine, CA 92697-8000
949.824.3072 - office
949.824.0495 - fax
rhasen at law.uci.edu
http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org

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