Remember the IRS Scandal? Well, the nuggets continue to drip out. On Friday, Judicial Watch announced that “New Documents Show IRS Used Donor Lists to Target Audits.” Here’s an excerpt:
But then, in February 2011, at least five donors of an unnamed organization were audited.
The documents show that Crossroads GPS, associated with Republican Karl Rove, was specifically referenced by IRS officials in the context of applying the gift tax. Seemingly in response to the Crossroads focus, on April 20, IRS attorney Lorraine Gardner emails a 501(c)(4) donor list to former Branch Chief in the IRS’ Office of the Chief Counsel James Hogan. Later, this information is apparently shared with IRS Estate Gift and Policy Manager Lisa Piehl while Gardner seeks “information about any of the donors.”
Needless to say, the IRS is supposed to ignore politics. Given an unnamed IRS official stating, “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) organization and may find itself under high scrutiny. One can only hope[,]” the reality is different.
Since the IRS and the Obama Administration is stonewalling Congress in telling what happened, what is Congress to do but cut the IRS’s budget. Frankly, it’s the only action they can do. I don’t like the choice, but it’s the only option available. If and when the IRS and the Obama Administration open up, hopefully the IRS’s budget will be increased but until then the taxpaying public (including tax professionals) is paying the price for the Obama Administration’s obfuscation.
Tags: IRS.Scandal