A Reminder of How the Obama Government Has Repeatedly Targeted Conservatives
Katie Pavlich at Townhall.com| May 13, 2013
We learned late last week that the IRS specifically targeted conservative groups for political purposes starting in 2011, but they aren't the only federal agency that has abused its power to do so. As a reminder, here's a compilation of just some of the ways conservatives, "tea party groups," and "patriots" have been targeted.
2009: President Barack Obama "Jokes" About Targeting Political Opponents Through the IRS
At his Arizona State University commencement speech last Wednesday, Mr. Obama noted that ASU had refused to grant him an honorary degree, citing his lack of experience, and the controversy this had caused. He then demonstrated ASU's point by remarking, "I really thought this was much ado about nothing, but I do think we all learned an important lesson. I learned never again to pick another team over the Sun Devils in my NCAA brackets. . . . President [Michael] Crowe and the Board of Regents will soon learn all about being audited by the IRS."
2013: The IRS Apologizes for Targeting Tea Party Groups, No Disciplinary Action Taken
The Internal Revenue Service on Friday apologized for targeting groups with “tea party” or “patriot” in their names, confirming long-standing accusations by some conservatives that their applications for tax-exempt status were being improperly delayed and scrutinized.
2013: IRS Senior Officials Knew in 2011 About Targeting of Conservatives
Senior Internal Revenue Service officials knew agents were targeting tea party groups as early as 2011, according to a draft of an inspector general's report obtained by The Associated Press that seemingly contradicts public statements by the IRS commissioner.
2013: Groups Specifically Teaching About the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights Are Flagged by the IRS
At various points over the past two years, Internal Revenue Service officials targeted nonprofit groups that criticized the government and sought to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, according to documents in an audit conducted by the agency’s inspector general.
The documents, obtained by The Washington Post from a congressional aide with knowledge of the findings, show that on June 29, 2011, IRS staffers held a briefing with senior agency official Lois G. Lerner in which they described giving special attention to instances where “statements in the case file criticize how the country is being run.”
2009: The Department of Homeland Security Warns of "Right-Wing Terrorists" Who Oppose Abortion and Illegal Immigration
Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly anti-government, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.
2013: Obama Administration Wants to Deport Christian Homeschoolers
The Romeike family fled their German homeland in 2008 seeking political asylum in the United States – where they hoped to home school their children. Instead, the Obama administration wants the evangelical Christian family deported.
“The Obama administration is basically saying there is no right to home school anywhere,” said Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association. “It’s an utter repudiation of parental liberty and religious liberty.”
These are only a few of the cases we know about. I'd like those on the Left to please tell me again that tyranny doesn't exist.
As a reminder, the same IRS agents who were told by senior officials to flag everything with "tea party" and "patriot" in it are now in charge of enforcing ObamaCare. Soon, Americans will have to report personal health information to these people.
Meanwhile, long time Democrat Doug Schoen warns in the Washington Post that politicizing the IRS was one of the reasons why Richard Nixon was impeached.
“Politicizing the IRS was one of the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon,” noted Doug Schoen, who handles polling for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “That being said, we are still a very long way from that point.” But, Schoen added: “The allegations are very, very serious and it is simply impossible to believe that it was just Lois Lerner and some low-level employees in Cincinnati who came up with this scheme to systematically focus on Tea Party and ‘patriot’ groups.”
Links and full story here:
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepa...tives-n1593627