IRS Targeting Right Wing Groups

[Stoked]

Good. Then they should be taxed. Sorry my friend! But your tea drinking boys are in the wrong!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/beltwa...ny-political-groups-should-not-be-tax-exempt/



Clearly, many tea party groups use their money (only) for campaigning. Just ask bob Bennett or Jim Matheson.

Furthermore, the IRS states:

https://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non...-Function-Income-of-Political-Organizations-1



So again. Right wing left wing don't matter. A tax cheat is a tax cheat. Stop playing politics stoked. Stop defending tax cheats.

I am not defending any group here. Find one instance where I did. You can't.

What the IRS did was wrong. Period.

 

[MoreFeasts]

I am not defending any group here. Find one instance where I did. You can't.

What the IRS did was wrong. Period.

One Brow and Stoked, I do not know how you can fail to understand what I have told you. Some Tea Party Groups are submitting applications to the IRS stating that they are not political groups. If they are political groups, as you believe, than they are submitting misleading papers with the IRS. Therefore these papers should be looked in to, since they appear to be false. You do not think that this is important to the discussion?

 

[Deleted member 365]

I am not defending any group here. Find one instance where I did. You can't.

What the IRS did was wrong. Period.

The IRS investigating and prosecuting tax cheats is wrong? Huh? Do you even know what the IRS's function is? Because it certainly doesn't look like you do.

 

[JimLes]

Sorry, but I refuse to accept that using the name "Tea Party" (and presumably advocating for lower legal taxes) means they are more likely to break the law, and the IRS should not make that presumption, either.

So if I have a white cube van that says "Free candy and molestation" on the side, the police should not make any presumptions if they're looking for a missing child?

 

[MoreFeasts]

If they are political groups, they don't qualify for non-profit status.

but they are applying for non-profit status.
that is what the articles are talking about, the targeting of their applications for nonprofit status

 

[Jazz Spazz]

One Brow and Stoked, I do not know how you can fail to understand what I have told you. Some Tea Party Groups are submitting applications to the IRS stating that they are not political groups. If they are political groups, as you believe, than they are submitting misleading papers with the IRS. Therefore these papers should be looked in to, since they appear to be false. You do not think that this is important to the discussion?

It seems to me you are making 2 different points.

One of you is saying that if they are fraudulently/incorrectly reporting their taxable status, what is wrong with looking into it.

The other is saying why only look at into possible fraudulently/incorrectly reported tax status cases from only one party? Why are you not impartially looking into all possible reported tax status cases that could be tied to politics.

I see what is being said by republican haters, but would that not create a political step up if the democratic supporters taxes were not checked for authenticity, while the republican supporters taxes were always checked. This could create an imbalance and an unfair advantage. I may be jaded, but I think there are just as many tax cheats on the democratic side of anything as there are tax cheats on the republican side of anything.

 

[MoreFeasts]

I don't know.... the news reports are very vague. What is the big deal? That these groups are being targeted because of their political identity! Oh, targeted how? Their applications for nonprofit status are being scrutinized. But if they are applying to have nonprofit status, then should not have a primary purpose of being a political group. But they are a political group, that is why they say they are being targeted. They should be targeted, they are a political group, they should not be given nonprofit status.

I have no problem with all of them being denied nonprofit status. I am oversimplifying , there are grey areas, and it appears that political groups can have nonprofit status if they pretend to not be too political. However, if you have a blatantly political name, and a history of political activities, you shouldn't be surprised that the IRS questions your claim that you are not a political group.

I could be off base here. The news reports are very vague, but this is my impression.
I just find it odd that people get all upset because their applications for being a nonprofit entity are being scrutinized supposedly for political reasons, when they should be rejected for being a nonprofit entity if they are a political group.

 

[moevillini]

So if I have a white cube van that says "Free candy and molestation" on the side, the police should not make any presumptions if they're looking for a missing child?

I don't think anyone is saying the Tea Party is using that name just to lure young girls so they can be molested


just kidding....

 

[moevillini]

I don't know.... the news reports are very vague. What is the big deal? That these groups are being targeted because of their political identity! Oh, targeted how? Their applications for nonprofit status are being scrutinized. But if they are applying to have nonprofit status, then should not have a primary purpose of being a political group. But they are a political group, that is why they say they are being targeted. They should be targeted, they are a political group, they should not be given nonprofit status.

I have no problem with all of them being denied nonprofit status. I am oversimplifying , there are grey areas, and it appears that political groups can have nonprofit status if they pretend to not be too political. However, if you have a blatantly political name, and a history of political activities, you shouldn't be surprised that the IRS questions your claim that you are not a political group.

I could be off base here. The news reports are very vague, but this is my impression.
I just find it odd that people get all upset because their applications for being a nonprofit entity are being scrutinized supposedly for political reasons, when they should be rejected for being a nonprofit entity if they are a political group.

ok, full disclosure - - I did NOT read the links


but anyhow, in response to MF (and others) above, the issue really is that groups on one end of the political spectrum had their applications delayed because they were subjected to extra scrutiny by the IRS whereas other groups did not have their applications delayed in this fashion. That makes it seem politically motivated.

and the result is that it delayed the fund raising capability of groups whose IRS standing was uncertain while their applications were being processed

 

[MoreFeasts]

ok, full disclosure - - I did NOT read the links


but anyhow, in response to MF (and others) above, the issue really is that groups on one end of the political spectrum had their applications delayed because they were subjected to extra scrutiny by the IRS whereas other groups did not have their applications delayed in this fashion. That makes it seem politically motivated.

and the result is that it delayed the fund raising capability of groups whose IRS standing was uncertain while their applications were being processed

If Political Groups should not be getting nonprofit status, then giving extra scrutiny to a political group for applying for nonprofit status is not being politically motivated, it is being motivated to do your job. The IRS employees should be examining these applications. The politicians , the political groups , and the media are wrong.

 

[moevillini]

If Political Groups should not be getting nonprofit status, then giving extra scrutiny to a political group for applying for nonprofit status is not being politically motivated, it is being motivated to do your job. The IRS employees should be examining these applications. The politicians , the political groups , and the media are wrong.

But they are only targeting specific groups whose names indicate they are probably right-wing, and that is the problem. If they were targeting all groups equally it wouldn't be the story it is.

What part of that concept is so difficult for you to understand?



Also, I didn't realize this at first, but these groups are applying for 501(c)(4) status which is a different category from charities, most of which are 501(c)(3)

The category 501(c)(4) took on new significance in 2010 when the US Supreme Court ruled that corporations could spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns. Groups that are in the 501(c)(4) category are allowed to spend on political campaigns as long as raising funds for political campaigns is not their primary purpose, and they are not required to disclose their donors. So they can say their primary mission is educational, get gobs of money from corporate sources, and have plenty of money to spend "educating" the public about how they should vote


from wikipedia

501(c)(4)
See also: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

501(c)(4) organizations are generally civic leagues and other corporations operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, or local associations of employees with membership limited to a designated company or people in a particular municipality or neighborhood, and with net earnings devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes.[32] 501(c)(4) organizations may lobby for legislation, and unlike 501(c)(3) organizations they may also participate in political campaigns and elections, as long as its primary activity is the promotion of social welfare.[33] The tax exemption for 501(c)(4) organizations applies to most of their operations, but contributions may be subject to gift tax, and income spent on political activities - generally the advocacy of a particular candidate in an election - is taxable.[34]

Contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations are usually not deductible as charitable contributions for U.S. federal income tax, with a few exceptions. 501(c)(4) organizations are not required to disclose their donors publicly.[36]

The lack of disclosure has led to extensive use of the 501(c)(4) provisions for organizations that are actively involved in lobbying, and has become controversial. Criticized as "dark money," spending from these organizations on political TV ads has exceeded spending from Super PACs.

 

[Stoked]

The IRS target people for political reasons. It is a small step from that to targeting people for relgious, geographical or ethnic reasons. If you cannot see the problem here than you are a fool.