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Blast From the IRS’ Scandal Past

Way back in March 2012, Roll Call published a story about how tea party types were pretty irate over the amount of info they were being asked to provide to the IRS in order to get nonprofit status.

“In the past two months, dozens of tea party groups … say they have received lengthy and intrusive questionnaires, some of which request the names of donors and volunteers,” staff writer Janie Lorber wrote.

“Lawyers who work with nonprofits seeking exempt status said the questions are unprecedented but agreed that they are within legal bounds.

“‘I think it’s an overreach,’ said Marcus Owens, a lawyer at Caplin & Drysdale, who ran the IRS’ exempt organizations division for a decade. “There are some contexts where that’s relevant.'”

Lorber also noted that Democrats, such as Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont, had been clamoring for the IRS to look into the activities of tax-exempt advocacy groups, sending multiple letters requesting an investigation.

Check out the story here.

 

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