IRS Targeted Progressive Groups-Political Myth

NPR, believe it or not, has looked into the IRS scandal and while tepid in its criticism produced this interesting graphic. Relative to the progressive groups that were allegedly targeted by the IRS notice that each group was asked, on average, an additional 4.7 questions. Seven progressive groups were "targeted" and all seven groups were eventually approved for tax exempt status. Small wonder there was no contemporaneous outrage.
Contrast that to the Tea Party groups. Each group was asked an additional 14.1 questions and as to date only 46% have been approved. The 9/12 groups were asked an extra 18 questions but did get 12 of 24 groups approved for a 50% approval rate.

In other IRS news Congressman David Camp is suggesting that Lois Lerner and an attorney in the Federal Election Commission’s general counsel’s office appear to have twice colluded to influence the record before the FEC’s vote in the case of a conservative non-profit organization, according to e-mails unearthed by the House Ways and Means Committee. Also at question is; did the IRS illegally share information with the FEC? From NRO;

“Several months ago . . . I spoke with you about the American Future Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization that had submitted an exemption application the IRS [sic],” the FEC attorney wrote Lerner in February 2009. The FEC, which polices violations of campaign-finance laws, is not exempted under Rule 6103, which prohibits the IRS from sharing confidential taxpayer information, but the e-mail indicates Lerner may have provided that information nonetheless: “When we spoke last July, you had told us that the American Future Fund had not received an exemption letter from the IRS,” the FEC attorney wrote.

Obviously that case did not involve the Tea Party. The Tea Party was not yet born but if Lerner shared information illegally with the FEC it's apparent she is more than a mere bureaucrat. Rep. Camp has sent a letter to IRS acting Director Danny Werfel demanding the complete email chain.