Understanding the IRS Scandal, Part 2

KRAMER’S NOTE:  This is Part 2 of my effort to provide you with the background leading to the scandal in the IRS.  If you missed Part 1, you can read it by scrolling down or by checking “Recent Posts” in the right hand column.

                                                       Democrats Intimidate the IRS

President Obama scolded the Supreme Court justices for their decision on Citizens United and asked Congress to “right this wrong,” but to Republicans the Court already righted a wrong.  It didn’t take long, however, for the Democrats to begin pressing the IRS to clamp down on Tea Party organizations and other conservative groups.

Democrat Senators Baucus, Schumer and Franken and others wrote to the IRS, threatening legislative action if they failed to “prevent abuse of the tax code by political groups.”

The groups began to complain to their Congressmen that their requests for tax exempt status were being delayed and they were being put through hoops with unwarranted paperwork.

Unexpectedly, on March 7, 2012, the liberal New York Times published an editorial, “The I.R.S. Does it Job,” reporting that “Tea Party supporters claim they are being politically harassed with extensive I.R.S. questionnaires.”  Does anyone believe the president didn’t see this editorial?

But it wasn’t until May 10, 2013, as the result of an IRS IG report, that the IRS’ Lois Lerner planted a question during her telephone conference to provide cover for her organization blaming a few over-zealous rogue employees in the Cincinnati office for the approval delays.

Carney(nationalreview.com photo)

Jay Carney (nat. review.com photo)

Three days later, presidential spokeskid Jay Carney disavowed any prior knowledge of the IG report even though the White House counsel was informed on April 22, 2013  We are to believe no one told the president about the report.

This is the same president who, on May 5, 2013, during a speech at the Ohio State University, had the audacity to tell students to reject the voice that “warn that tyranny (is) always lurking just around the corner.”

Shulman (wash. times.com photo)

Douglas Shulman (wash.times.com photo)

During testimony before the House on May 21, 2013 IRS Director Douglas Shulman revealed that he had visited the White House more than 150 times; meetings we are led to believe only concerned planning for the agency’s work on ObamaCare enforcement.  I’d like to know why the president’s deputy campaign manager Stephanie Cutter attended some of those meetings. Continue reading

Understanding the IRS Scandal, Part 1

KRAMER’S NOTE: Many of you may not be familiar with the actions that led to what I believe to be corrupt actions by the IRS.  On one hand, the fair and balanced media are geared for brief news clips and worry about “getting into the weeds” with detail.  And the predominantly liberal news publications simply don’t want you to know the detail.  In fact, most reporters don’t even know the detail.  So, this is Part 1 of a capsulized timeline to help you understand the importance of investigating this scandal.

The Beginning: President Obama Slams Supreme Court Decision

“Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections.  Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities.  They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.”

Alito 1

The Supreme Court justices are rudely scolded by President Obama during the 2010 State-of-the-Union Address (AP photo)

Those were the words of President Obama as he rudely chastised the robed members of the Supreme Court sitting directly in front of him at his 2010 State-of-the-Union address.  And to make matters worse, Democrat members of Congress rose to cheer and applaud directly behind them, including Senators Dick Durbin and Charles Schumer, who intentionally clapped close to their heads.  And Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner stood to their immediate right smiling as he clapped.

In the decision, known as Citizens United, the justices overturned previous decisions that prohibited, “corporations and unions from using their general treasury funds to make independent expenditures for speech defined as an ‘electioneering communication’ or for speech expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate.”

It should be understood that corporations are still not permitted to contribute directly to federal candidates.  The ruling merely allows them to spend money on electioneering from its own accounts without forming political action committees. Continue reading

We have become a “whatever” society

MinnTwnHall(hqdefalut.jpg)

Minnesota Town Hall (hqdefault.jpg)

Did you see the news clip of the town hall held in Minnesota last week?  As three Democrats, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Walz and Rep. Collin Peterson were responding to constituent questions during an Agriculture Symposium, someone had the courage to ask a pointed non-Ag question.

“I thought the Affordable Care Act would save $2,500 per family,” a local resident asked, “what happened?”

Before Peterson could grab the microphone to pass it to Klobuchar, those in attendance broke out in uproarious laughter as Peterson said, “I voted ‘no’ so I’ll let these guys handle that.”

Walz tried to recover with feeble excuses for the troubles being encountered with ObamaCare, but made the mistake of commenting on health insurance in this country before ObamaCare saying, “Don’t pretend there was some type of safe harbor before this where everything was just peachy keen.”  How uniformed.

Pelosi (youtube.com)

Nancy Pelosi (YouTube.com)

In a letter to the editor I wrote to The Boerne (TX) Star in 2010, I cited a 2009 Gallup poll in which 87 percent expressed satisfaction with their health care and 81 percent were satisfied with the cost. There was no need for a comprehensive health insurance bill.

But, back to the uproarious laughter of the town hall crowd, because that’s the reason for this posting.  When are we going to stop treating everything happening to this country as a laughing matter?  Where’s the outrage? Continue reading

Not a smidgen of corruption?

When Fox’s Bill O’Reilly asked the president about the perception of corruption in the IRS scandal with records showing former director Douglas Shulman visited the White House on a 157 occasions; his response was “no mass corruption, not even a smidgen of corruption.”

Despite the fact that directors normally have staffers handle project detail, the president insisted Shulman’s visits were tied to meetings involving the set-up of HealthCare.gov, adding that he didn’t recall meeting with Shulman.

While the president appears to consider the IRS targeting issue closed with no corruption, DOJ appointee Barbara Bosserman and the FBI continue to investigate it  At least that’s what we are told. Continue reading

Where’s the outrage?

THERE THEY WERE, the nation’s five top intelligence officials, Clapper (DNI), Brennan (CIA), Flynn (DIA), Comey (FBI), and Olsen (NCC), sitting before the House Intelligence Committee hearing yesterday.  Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL) asks, “Can anybody at the table tell us when somebody will be held responsible for the murders in Benghazi?” … read more

White House scandals not going away

While an estimated 111 million people viewed the president’s interview with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly prior to the Super Bowl, it’s unfortunate if they didn’t see the extra exclusive minutes afforded O’Reilly for use later on his evening show.  They missed seeing the president at his worst.

ObamaOReilly Interview (NYDaily News photo)

O’Reilly interviews Obama (NYDailyNews photo)

O’Reilly asked the president if he thought his coverage of him and his administration was unfair. ”Absolutely,” the president answered, “we just went through an interview in which you asked about health care not working … the IRS, were we wholly corrupt (and) Benghazi.”   O’Reilly politely responded saying, “but these are unanswered questions.”  I found it hard to believe the president wasn’t prepared.  After all, he wasn’t dealing with his water carriers at the other networks or the New York Times. Continue reading

On the front burner …

Senator Cruz questions AG – Although considered a Tea Party firebrand by the left, I was again impressed by the calm, clear, concise manner in which Texas Senator Ted Cruz questioned Attorney General Eric Holder about the IRS targeting investigation during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week. Showing experience he gained as Texas Solicitor General and nine oral arguments before the U.S.… read more

NY Times advances Hillary’s anointing

While many of the Washington pundits and the fawning media on the left are anticipating the announcement from Hillary Clinton that she plans to run for president in 2016, The New York Times Magazine of Jan. 26, 2014 published an unflattering graphic image of her for its feature, Planet Hillary.

The NY Times Magazine

The New York Times Magazine, Jan. 26, 2014

“The gravitational pull of a possible 2016 campaign is bringing all the old Clinton characters into her orbit,” the magazine states, “Can she make the stars align or will chaos prevail.”

Meanwhile, at a paid speaking appearance before members of the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans, Clinton said, “My biggest regret is what happened in Benghazi.  Losing an ambassador like Chris Stevens, who was one of our best. It was a terrible tragedy losing four Americans …” Switching from “the fog of war” excuse, she now blames her lack of response to “imperfect information, unforeseen consequences and unpredictable twists and turns.”  Not only did she fail the hypothetical “3 a.m. call,” she failed to respond to five months of terrorist warnings in Benghazi. Continue reading

Posted in IRS

Political “dirty tricks” no longer done covertly

Political dirty tricks are alive and active in the Democrat administration.  What used to done covertly by shady characters is now being done in the open by party leaders and the government under klieg lights.

After admitting it targeted Tea Party organizations and other conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status, the IRS called upon their fellow colleagues in Treasury, the FBI, to investigate.  While the investigation continues, the FBI indicated it would not be bringing criminal charges against anyone in the IRS, as they only found evidence of mismanagement.  Surprise!  Meanwhile, Tea Party groups say they have not been questioned by the FBI. Continue reading