In yesterday's paper.
IRS approved liberal groups while Tea Party in limbo
In February 2010, the Champaign Tea Party in Illinois received
approval of its tax-exempt status from the IRS in 90 days, no questions
asked.
That was the month before the Internal Revenue Service
started singling out Tea Party groups for special treatment. There
wouldn't be another Tea Party application approved for 27 months.
In
that time, the IRS approved perhaps dozens of applications from similar
liberal and progressive groups, a USA TODAY review of IRS data shows.
As
applications from conservative groups sat in limbo, groups with
liberal-sounding names had their applications approved in as little as
nine months. With names including words like "Progress" or
"Progressive," the liberal groups applied for the same tax status and
were engaged in the same kinds of activities as the conservative groups.
They included:
• Bus for Progress, a New Jersey non-profit that
uses a red, white and blue bus to "drive the progressive change."
According to its website, its mission includes "support (for)
progressive politicians with the courage to serve the people's interests
and make tough choices." It got an IRS approval as a social welfare
group in April 2011.
• Missourians Organizing for Reform and
Empowerment says it fights against corporate welfare and for increasing
the minimum wage. "It would be fair to say we're on the progressive end
of the spectrum," said executive director Jeff Ordower. He said the
group got tax-exempt status in September 2011 in just nine months after
"a pretty simple, straightforward process."
•
Progress Florida, granted tax-exempt status in January 2011, is lobbying
the Florida Legislature to expand Medicaid under a provision of the
Affordable Care Act, one of President Obama's signature accomplishments.
The group did not return phone calls. "We're busy fighting to build a
more progressive Florida and cannot take your call right now," the
group's voice mail said.
There's more. Hit the link – quite incredible.
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