- Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:12 am
#95716
Finally, the DOJ settles lawsuits with over 400 conservative groups and IRS is forced to apologize for intentionally delaying or denying their tax-exempt status “based solely on their viewpoint or ideology.”
The IRS admits that its treatment of Plaintiffs during the tax-exempt determination process, including screening their applications based on their names or policy positions, subjecting those applications to heightened scrutiny and inordinate delays, and demanding some Plaintiffs’ information that TIGTA determined was unnecessary to the agency’s determination of their tax-exempt status, was wrong,” the IRS said in court documents. “For such treatment, the IRS expresses its sincere apology.”
The Justice Department’s settlement would pay the claims of each of the over 400 groups in the case. The attorneys for the groups said it was “a great day for the First Amendment,” but noted that day “was too long in coming.”
“The Government’s generous settlement with the Class Plaintiffs fully vindicates their claims that the IRS targeted Tea Party and conservative groups based on their viewpoint.” Besides the award of millions for lost revenue due to the IRS targeting, Jeff Sessions said he would be authorizing punitive damages.
