U.S. Senate candidate Jamie Radtke has asked the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to launch a formal investigation into abusive actions by the Internal Revenue Service toward Tea Party and Patriot organizations.
On Friday, Radtke sent a letter to Congressman Darrell Issa describing IRS actions toward conservative organizations currently seeking IRS non-profit status as “an assault by the Internal Revenue Service on Tea Party and Patriot groups.”
As an example, Radtke mentioned the plight of Richmond Tea Party, which applied for 501(c)(4) non-profit status more than two years ago. After waiting two and a half years for approval, the IRS recently communicated a new set of overly-burdensome and invasive demands for information that exceed the scope of the IRS code.
Radtke told Issa she is familiar with other groups that are having similar experiences with the IRS. Radtke wrote, “There is a pattern of IRS activity toward Tea Party and Patriot organizations that includes unwarranted delays and overly burdensome information requests that divert the energy and resources of those groups from their missions. This behavior chills the exercise of free speech and free association by the groups’ members and supporters.”
The most recent letter Richmond Tea Party received from the IRS demanded substantial information (12 additional questions in 53 separate parts) including the names of all their donors and volunteers. The IRS states that such information will be made available for ‘public inspection.’
Jamie concluded her letter to Issa by writing, “I hope you will seriously consider investigating this matter further. We must make it an absolute priority to protect free speech and the right to free association. They are the strongest bulwarks against tyranny. This needs immediate attention.”
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