Is the IRS targeting Superpacs?
posted at 11:01 am on June 9, 2012 by Jazz Shaw
Hey… we’ve got some great news for you! The IRS is going after a Democrat funded group sinking money into political campaigns and taking away their tax exempt, non profit status. Isn’t that great?!?!
While the nonprofit wasn’t named, it was Emerge America, its president, Karen Middleton, told Bloomberg News. The national organization is based in San Francisco and works with nine state affiliates that train Democratic women candidates.
Middleton said in an e-mail that the national and state organizations are now incorporated under Section 527 of the tax code, which requires them to disclose their donors.
Not so fast. What’s bad for the goose may, in this case, be just as bad for the gander.
An Internal Revenue Service decision revoking the tax-exempt status of a small political nonprofit organization may foreshadow an investigation into groups such as Crossroads GPS and Priorities USA that spend millions on the 2012 U.S. presidential election.
At risk would be the groups’ nonprofit status, which lets them collect millions of dollars from individuals and corporations while keeping donors anonymous.
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are benefitting from such nonprofits. Crossroads GPS was started with help from former President George W. Bush’s chief political strategist, Karl Rove. Priorities USA was co-founded by Bill Burton, a former Obama aide.
This looks like little more than an end run around Citizens United and a chance for the IRS to pick and choose who they will allow to claim tax exempt status. You can debate whether “money is speech” all you like, but it has to be on an even playing field. This ruling may go against the Democrats, but if it passes muster it sets a precedent which could go after much larger game.
And if you had to put a name to the game in question, what comes to mind first? I’m guessing the initials would be KR…
Related Posts:
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2 3
I agree. The MSM has messaged this is the new norm. The next scandals will not be covered at all
Obama cannot be impeached with the current Senate.
Too bad the RINOs had planned to stuff it to the Tea Party, the anti amnesty crowd, and the anti gay marriage crowd. To go whole hog against the Executive branch, they need the support of the last group of Americans who demand rule of law
This IMHO is why the RINOs did not push the issue before the last election. They too wanted the tea party dead. Both RINO and Libs have been messaging that the Tea Party is dead. The funeral had been held last fall. Benghazi forced the Libs to release the Tea Party IRS data for cover.
And they did stage the release.
It did cool down the Benghazi momentum from the Whistleblowers
Plus, it throws a screw in the RINO plans.
entagor on May 19, 2013 at 5:51 PM
Workingclass Artist is right. You are focusing on the admin being able to pass their agenda( what you refer to as a “check”)…but what does it matter if no new regs get passed when you can simply do what you want( clearly) and there are absolutely NO consequences to your orders? Use that power to place all your “men” in the right positions?
The ends justify the means to them…no consequences mean they can move about with impunity and the worse that happens is some people call them bad names in the news and on blogs…small price to pay to wield the might of a government like ours with nothing stopping you.
Alinsky on May 19, 2013 at 5:53 PM
Ms. Clift should be tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail…
Khun Joe on May 19, 2013 at 6:03 PM
It didn’t take long for the MSM to get over it’s phony outrage and get back in the groove. These liberals lie and the MSM swears to it.
savage24 on May 19, 2013 at 6:04 PM
The law certainly doesn’t matter to this administration.
Axion on May 19, 2013 at 7:07 PM
It’s time to put this old Witch out to pasture! She has been a chief liar for the Libs for many years and I think she has out-lived her usefulness!Give her the gold retirement watch and tell her it’s time to take a walk!!
Jersey Dan on May 19, 2013 at 7:23 PM
So, this must be the “Hope and Change” Obama was talking about when he asked for our votes. Where, if it can’t be proven (by an Obama-appointed prosecutor) to be illegal for the government to screw you, it’s OK for it to do so?
Glad we cleared that up.
Socratease on May 19, 2013 at 7:33 PM
No, workingclassaritist is not right. Executive orders can be undone by electing a new executive. Preventing Obama from advancing his legislative agenda is the best that we can get right now. It isn’t ideal, but the situation could be far worse.
ghostwriter on May 19, 2013 at 7:58 PM
First?
Paul-Cincy on May 19, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Because liberals are looking out for the little guy, anything they do is a okay.
racquetballer on May 19, 2013 at 10:45 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2 3