So it appears the IRS has been discriminatory to some conservative groups when they applied for tax exempt status. Conservative groups… Like the tea party…

To be clear, the exact charge was that tea party and conservative groups were inappropriately targeted by being put through extra reviews, substantial delays and burdensome requests for information. I’m wondering how that’s any different than any other person or organization seeking relief of some sort from the IRS…

What about the average citizen who doesn’t have the clout or not-for-profit groups the IRS deems not important enough?

It’s different because these are powerful groups who have sway in our political system. If they’re being mistreated, it’s warrants and investigation. If you or I get mistreated by the IRS, it means nothing because our Political Action Committees (PAC’s) and millionaire donors don’t exist. And there’s no threat of losing corporate support.

The greatest difficulty is the fact that behavior of this kind happens to citizen taxpayers EVERYDAY. I know this because I’ve been one of them. I spent years trying to get guidance from IRS personnel and officials and instead got red tape, rejection and was eventually ignored and avoided. But, I – like every other citizen taxpayer – didn’t have a Congressional oversight committee to call for an investigation.

President Obama was quoted as saying, “I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in any agency, but especially in the IRS, given the power that it has and the reach that it has into all of our lives.” I hope he meant that for every taxpayer, not just for the outraged conservative group in question.

The IRS’ general modus operandi is subterfuge. I’ve been told point-blank by an IRS field representative that if I didn’t do exactly what they wanted, they would deny my request… Like blackmail… I’ve had claims denied over missing a check-mark on a form. Something that could have been easily remedied with a phone call or returning the document with a request for completion. Not the IRS…

I also think the IRS has an unwritten rule that they should avoid live contact with taxpayers as much as possible. If you leave a voicemail for a field representative to return your call, you will likely get a letter in the mail. Another tactic to support subterfuge…

So, I understand and believe whole-heartedly that the conservative groups in question were given the runaround. I just hope this incident serves to shine a light on their behavior in general, not just for this isolated group.

There’s also a division of the IRS called the taxpayer advocate service. Their role is to represent you when you get stuck in the subterfuge. There is a person who IS the taxpayer advocate and many, many investigators that work under him/her. They will attempt to tell you that the IRS is a separate entity from them, but, they all have IRS official Identification numbers. They work for the IRS.

Many years ago, I interviewed the taxpayer advocate. He told me they always get to the bottom of taxpayer concerns and work diligently at being the accountable division of the IRS. Of course that’s what he’s going to tell a reporter – on the record. In practice, however, its not quite as smooth a process. The taxpayer has to be the diligent one and hold them to their charge: TAXPAYER ADVOCATE!

So, if you’re one of the little people who’s been victim to the IRS way, make your experience known and now is the time. Conservative groups shouldn’t be the only one’s getting an investigation… They’ve been busted. the light is shining on the IRS and all of its bad behavior NOW. Carpe diem…