# Bush Appointed IRS Head Investigated Liberal Groups - Scandal **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 25, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876 "2013-06-25T15:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/1 "2013-06-25T15:35:06Z")
Apparently the IRS, while headed by a Bush appointee, gave [extra scrutiny](http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/06/25/like-benghazi-fox-news-irs-scandal-winding-down/194585) to groups that used the word “Progressive”. This sounds like a big scandal for the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/2 "2013-06-25T15:39:16Z")
Meanwhile, centrist groups are getting away with all sorts of shit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/3 "2013-06-25T15:39:38Z")
> [@fumster](#): > > Apparently the IRS, while headed by a Bush appointee, gave [extra scrutiny](http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/06/25/like-benghazi-fox-news-irs-scandal-winding-down/194585) to groups that used the word “Progressive”. Flo had it coming. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/4 "2013-06-25T15:46:17Z")
OP assumes the manufactured scandal’s creators–or the feeders who take it in–care about such things. > [@njtt](#): > > Meanwhile, centrist groups are getting away with all sorts of shit. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Flo had it coming. Awesome and awesomer. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/5 "2013-06-25T16:33:15Z")
Do adahim and NotfooledbyM know? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/6 "2013-06-25T17:25:50Z")
We always knew that there were progressive groups that were examined also. As I understand it, though, it remains true that fewer of them faced scrutiny, they could be (and were) quickly approved by the line reviewers, while all of the Tea Party applications were sent upward to be held separately and were not approved until much later. It’s thus not clear to me why this new line of argument is saying that the scandal is deflated. And certainly we’ve always known that Shulman is a Democratic contributor who was appointed by Bush, and no one’s connected him to any knowledge of these matters. I’m not sure that he’s a significant figure here. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/7 "2013-06-25T17:31:28Z")
And the true scandal continues to be that any political groups ever got their tax exempt status approved. The statute says that such groups must be EXLUSIVELY devoted to the public welfare which the IRS changed to PRIMARILY without authorization. Obama couild fix the whole mess by issuing an executive order to have the IRS obey the statute. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/8 "2013-06-25T18:28:28Z")
What statute is that? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/9 "2013-06-25T18:36:43Z")
Uh- that would be [26 USC Section 501](http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/501) > [@](#): > > (4) > (A) Civic leagues or organizations not organized for profit but operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, or local associations of employees, the membership of which is limited to the employees of a designated person or persons in a particular municipality, and the net earnings of which are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes. [Lawrence O’Donnell](http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/05/13/odonnell-the-real-irs-scandal-happened-in-1959/) explains it well. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/10 "2013-06-25T18:44:12Z")
Where does §501©4 say the promotion of social welfare can’t include political activity? ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/11 "2013-06-25T19:02:52Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > OP assumes the manufactured scandal’s creators–or the feeders who take it in–care about such things. > > Awesome and awesomer. Is that the prequel? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/12 "2013-06-25T19:16:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Where does §501(c)4 say the promotion of social welfare can’t include political activity? I suppose any reasonable interpretation of the phrase social welfare would exclude it. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/13 "2013-06-25T20:02:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I suppose any reasonable interpretation of the phrase social welfare would exclude it. No, really - how is fighting to destroy the social safety net _not_ social welfare? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/14 "2013-06-25T20:12:19Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > No, really - how is fighting to destroy the social safety net _not_ social welfare? :rolleyes: So… in your mind… “social welfare” would cover efforts by the left to increase the government social safety net, but never efforts by the right to decrease it? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/15 "2013-06-25T20:14:07Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I suppose any reasonable interpretation of the phrase social welfare would exclude it. It would? If I lobby for an increase of the minimum wage – clearly a political matter – isn’t that also a social welfare matter? And if I lobby for the minimum wage to remain where it is under the theory that an increase in minimum wage would cause a net loss of jobs, isn’t THAT also a social welfare matter? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/16 "2013-06-25T20:24:31Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I suppose any reasonable interpretation of the phrase social welfare would exclude it. I’m not going to read through the whole law, but I thought they had to limit “political activity” to 49% of their total activity (or spending or whatever). Political activity wasn’t prohibited, but it was limited. And yeah, where does “social welfare” and and “political activity” begin. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/17 "2013-06-25T22:10:19Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m not going to read through the whole law, but I thought they had to limit “political activity” to 49% of their total activity (or spending or whatever). Political activity wasn’t prohibited, but it was limited. > > And yeah, where does “social welfare” and and “political activity” begin. “Exclusively” is pretty clear. In effect, the IRS was enforcing limiting politics to 49%, but by letter of the law it should be 0%. The real scandal is the IRS ignoring statute since the Eisenhower years. Since by definition no political activity is universally held to be in the public interest, no political group of any stripe should get tax exempt status under this provision. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/18 "2013-06-25T22:17:46Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > “Exclusively” is pretty clear. > > In effect, the IRS was enforcing limiting politics to 49%, but by letter of the law it should be 0%. The real scandal is the IRS ignoring statute since the Eisenhower years. > > Since by definition no political activity is universally held to be in the public interest, no political group of any stripe should get tax exempt status under this provision. So, the real scandal is the IRS is out of control. I think we all knew that! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/19 "2013-06-25T22:39:20Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Meanwhile, centrist groups are getting away with all sorts of shit. This week’s search terms will be “moderate,” “centrist,” “neutral,” “whig,” and “mugwump.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876/20 "2013-06-25T23:55:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > “Exclusively” is pretty clear. > > In effect, the IRS was enforcing limiting politics to 49%, but by letter of the law it should be 0%. The real scandal is the IRS ignoring statute since the Eisenhower years. > > Since by definition no political activity is universally held to be in the public interest, no political group of any stripe should get tax exempt status under this provision. If you read the whole statute, you’ll notice that Congress explicitly noted that certain 501(c) groups could not engage in political activity at all. It did not include such language in subsection 4. Do you think that’s significant? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-appointed-irs-head-investigated-liberal-groups-scandal/661876.md?page=2)