IRS to Investigate NAACP: Dared to Criticize Bush!

[PSU84]

NAACP Faces IRS Investigation - Report

Fri Oct 29, 1:54 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The NAACP is facing an Internal Revenue Service investigation because the chairman of the civil rights group criticized President Bush, The Washington Post reported on Friday, citing documents provided by the group. An IRS document dated Oct. 8 said the group may have violated terms of its tax-exempt status, which restricts political activity, because it "distributed statements in opposition of George W. Bush for the presidency" during its convention in July, according to the Post.

"Specifically in a speech made by Chairman Julian Bond, Mr. Bond condemned the administration policies of George W. Bush on education, the economy and the war in Iraq ," the newspaper quoted an IRS document as saying. The newspaper said the agency asked for the cost of the Philadelphia convention and "the names and addresses of each board member and indicate how each voted."

Bond told the Post that he found it "Nixonian" for the administration to send such a letter a month before the presidential election. Bond was quoted as saying that he believes the IRS letter was designed to intimidate the group. "They don't say I crossed any partisan lines -- they just said I criticized the president," he told the newspaper. "I am shocked at this effort to silence our group before the election."

[klook]

1. Excellent timing

How can any person of color vote for Bush after hearing this??

[sui generis]

2. much ado about nothing

it's a harrassment effort. The worst thing that could happen would be that they are warned not to do it gain. Even if the IRS levied an arbitrary fine, it would be appealed all the way to the supreme court. Finally, I don't know if the IRS can undo the charter of the NAACP based on one incident, but if they did they would really need to seriously consider the ramifications of a war on loose tongues at every other non-profit in the U.S.

It's just a stupid, petty thing that Rove is once again orchestrating.

[PSU84]

5. Not so.....

Try telling that to the Sierra Club. They had their tax-exempt status revoked in 1969 (when Nixon was President) because they opposed building a damn on the Colorado River that would have filled up part of the Grand Canyon.

To this day, contributions to the Sierra Club are not tax-deductible and it is not a tax exempt organization.

[sui generis]

6. ah - it all comes together now

I got sierra club advocacy letters for Nader in 2000, which sent me flaming into orbit.

Just the same, I think there will be a flood of justified organized complaints against a number of non-profits who were borderline overboard this election year, mostly out of spite.

[PsN2Wind]

3. Surely

Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, et al, can't be far behind.
Yeah, right!!!!!

[WVRevy]

4. Exactly....

....My first thought upon reading this was "Ok, so when are they going to start investigating all the churches that are handing out pro Shrub bullshit"....

I'm no huge fan of the NAACP, but double standards like this piss me off to no END.