[EL] Fwd: IRS Backgrounder Memo

[Rick Hasen]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	IRS Backgrounder Memo
Date: 	Thu, 23 May 2013 00:37:44 +0000
From: 	CMitchell at foley.com <CMitchell at foley.com>
To: 	CMitchell at foley.com <CMitchell at foley.com>



Hi! I have been working for more than a year to get someone to pay 
attention to what I perceived to be serious problems within the IRS in 
terms of targeting conservative organizations. Despite the efforts of 
the House Ways & Means IRS Oversight Committee and the Senate Finance 
Committee inquiring of the IRSS, we have now seen that the IRS was not 
truthful with Congress last year. It is important that we not allow the 
IRS to dissemble, deny and obfuscate the facts.

With the recent news that, indeed, such targeting was being employed by 
the IRS, I have been asked repeatedly to provide information to 
reporters, members of Congress, etc. It was all piecemeal, so I decided 
to put together something of a 'big picture' history and overview of the 
reprehensible situation at the IRS.

I am sending this to you for several reasons: so you will be able to put 
what the IRS is doing into context of the process that used to be in 
place for reviewing applications for exempt status - which was based on 
a standard form and standard of review that was straightforward and 
understood - and limited to the information that the IRS had promulgated 
and published as to information necessary to qualify for exempt status.  
That all changed in 2010 -- and more importantly, please understand that 
this is STILL going on! The IRS would have everyone believe that "all 
that was stopped in 2012". That is NOT true. Many, many organizations' 
applications are still locked within the IRS - attached is evidence of that.

And most importantly, you should know that this was not confined to a 
few 'low level' IRS employees in Cincinnati. That is simply not true. 
Attached is a letter I sent on Nov. 8, 2011 demonstrating that the 
orders were coming from Washington.  And more and more news reports are 
now confirming that this was, indeed, being directed from Washington. 
National Review Online has published several articles about this over 
the past week if you are interested in more information.

The direct link to the MemoI prepared can be found at: 
_http://www.actrightlegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/IRS-Targeting-of-Conservative-Groups-A-History-Overview-and-Status-Report.pdf_. 


Please do not believe the 'spin' coming from the IRS. There is much 
muchmore to be done to sort this out.

Feel free to share this with anyone who would find this to be of interest.

Take a look and let me know if you have questions. Thanks. Cleta

Cleta Mitchell, Esq.
Foley & Lardner, LLP
3000 K Street NW #600
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 295-4081 (direct)
(202) 431-1950 (cell)
(202) 672-5399 (fax)
cmitchell at foley.com


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