IRS targeting emphasized conservatives

Patti Siwicki claimed March 26 that the IRS targeted 85 "Tea Party" and "Patriot" groups and that, according to the inspector general's report, the IRS targeted 202 "Occupy" and "progressive" groups. This is truly a misstatement of the facts.

I am assuming that Ms. Siwicki has reviewed the 54 page TIGRA report and on Page 8, the pie chart clearly shows that there were 96 conservative groups with the names of "Tea Party," "Patriots" and "9/12" and that the remaining 202 were a combination of all other groups conservative and liberal that did not have in their name "Tea Party," "Patriots" or "9/12."

It should be noted here that one day after the report was issued on May 15, 2013, the commissioner of the IRS, Steven T. Miller, resigned. One week later, on May 22, Lois Lernar took the Fifth during House hearings.

And on June 3, the Commissioner of Tax exempt and Government Entities Joseph H. Grant decided to take an unannounced retirement.

Finally on June 27, in response to a letter from liberal stalwart Congressman Sander Levin of Michigan that thought that the "Occupy" groups had been treated badly by the IRS, TIGRA reinstituted the survey and their results are as follows: There were 20 groups with the names "Progress," "Progressives" or "Occupy" that applied for tax-exempt status and only six had been chosen for more investigation. Then, 292 groups with the name "Tea Party," Patriot" and "9/12" applying for tax-exempt status had been chosen for more investigations. A total of six out of 20 liberal groups are hassled by the IRS and 292 out of 292 conservative groups are hassled by the IRS one year before a presidential election.

The "Chicago way" is alive and well in D.C., or are they still blaming Cincinnati?

Dan Bulicek

Lindenhurst