IRS: Spinning A Cover-Up?

“Some people think that the truth can be hidden with a little cover-up and decoration.  But as time goes by, what is true is revealed.”  – Ismail Haniyeh

In May of 2013, the IRS targeting scandal began to unfold after Lois Lerner leaked that the IRS targeted certain conservative groups and individuals for special treatment by the IRS. Congressional investigations were launched.

The Washington, D.C. spin machine went into overtime and eventually the IRS started admitting they were having one heck of a time with hard drives that were just magically wiping out key employee’s emails. Even the President felt a need to boldly declare on national TV that there “wasn’t even a smidgen of corruption” at the IRS.

It’s been said that the original scandal isn’t what gets most people in trouble, it’s the attempted cover-up. From lost hard drives to pleadings of the Fifth Amendment, to Committee members feigning outrage over investigation questions, the magnitude of perceived cover-up is astounding, and shows what we have sadly come to expect from the Washington elite who believe that nothing they do is wrong because it is “for own our good.”

And just last week, in a classic gotcha moment, U.S. Justice Department spokesperson Brian Fallon called House Oversight Committee staff stating, “the department wanted congressional staffers to get documents to selected reporters so that officials could comment on them before the majority did.”

There was just one problem.

Fallon thought he was calling the staff of the Ranking Minority Member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings. He in fact called the staff of the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa. Oops.

As The Hill reported, after Issa’s staff informed Fallon whom he was talking to, Fallon came back on the line and said there was a change in plans. Ya think!

Perhaps this is why the U.S. House just passed three resolutions limiting the authority of the IRS.  They are:

  • H.R. 5418: To prohibit officers and employees of the Internal Revenue Service from using personal email accounts to conduct official business.
  • H.R. 5419: To provide tax-exempt groups the right to an administrative appeal relating to adverse determinations of tax-exempt status.
  • H.R. 5420: To permit the release of certain information to victims regarding the status of investigations into leaks of their personal taxpayer information.

While we applaud the House’s actions, it is tantamount to plugging a hole in the Hoover Dam with a wad of chewing gum! Nice try but no cigar.

All the House did was to give the appearance of trying to solve a problem while secretly protecting the status quo. If Congress really wants to end the nightmare of IRS abuse – as the American people want them to – then they must demand the FairTax® Plan be immediately passed.

The FairTax replaces the income tax and defunds, disbands and eliminates the IRS. Now that’s a game changer!

Members of Congress only fear one thing – being thrown out of office by their constituents. They listen most to groups who have the largest number of paid members and who represent the largest voting blocks within their district or state. That’s why we’ve set a goal of 1 million new AFFT paid memberships. If you agree, go to our website and become a member today.