[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 164 (Monday, November 18, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1695-E1697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         IRS AND THE TEA PARTY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL FLORES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 18, 2013

  Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following:


                                           Manassas Tea Party,

                                                         Virginia.
       On behalf of the Manassas Tea Party and the disaffected 
     constituents that you represent, we wish to remind you of the 
     angst, as well as the damage that we experienced in our quest 
     for non-profit status for our organization, an organization 
     dedicated to preserving Constitutional principles.
       The process began on May 14th, 2010 and concluded on 
     December 4th, 2012--more than a two year wait. As our status 
     remained in flux and with the IRS's threatening and 
     unwarranted behavior, our community impact weakened. We found 
     it difficult to keep people engaged, members became 
     uncomfortable participating, our organization became 
     paralyzed, membership numbers declined, and our fundraising 
     suffered.
       The IRS is truly an intimidating force. In their multiple 
     requests for information pertaining to group and individual 
     politics, postings on social networks, and contributor 
     affiliations, we felt threatened and bullied. Their language 
     and tone intimated that anything short of full cooperation 
     and disclosure in all aspects of the IRS demands would be 
     reviewed under the threat of perjury. The IRS even informed 
     us that our private responses would be made public.
       Our experience represents a shameful example of government 
     harassment and abuse, and an orchestrated attempt to 
     disenfranchise citizens of The United States of their 
     Constitutional rights. Intrusions such as these are not just 
     `Tea Party' issues. For when government abuses its power and 
     authority, it should sound an alarm for all Americans.
       You gentlemen, have been charged with guarding our liberty. 
     What will you do to right this gross injustice?
           Respectfully,
                                           The Manassas Tea Party.
                                  ____
                                  
                                        OKC Tea Party and Patriots


                                        In Action Association,

                                                         Oklahoma.
                                      Patriots Educating Concerned


                                        Americans Now (PECAN),

                                                       California.
       In early 2010 we formed Patriots Educating Concerned 
     Americans Now as a 501c3 non-profit. PECAN provided a support 
     network for a dozen patriot groups in Northern CA and while 
     waiting for the official IRS approval we operated as a 501c3 
     non-profit. It became clear, however, that most donors wanted 
     proof of our official non-profit status. An accountant 
     volunteered his time to create and manage our non-profit but 
     his generosity was repaid with hundreds of unpaid work hours 
     because our group was targeted by the IRS.
       Our largest group in Redding had 500 people attending every 
     Monday night through the 2010 election but donations from the 
     group just covered the cost of the meeting room. There was no 
     way to raise enough money to bring teachers, speakers, 
     trainers and other organizations like Wounded Warrior Project 
     to our rural area. Lack of significant fundraising has 
     suppressed outreach to build supporters, disseminate 
     information and get out the vote. The IRS has essentially 
     limited us to word of mouth rather than the growing and 
     thriving non-profit we have been poised to be for the past 
     three and a half years.
       Individuals and businesses have been concerned about 
     targeting by the government since the tea party began. The 
     actions of the IRS have confirmed their worst fears. This has 
     translated into lower attendance at meetings and events while 
     destroying our ability to raise funds; donors fear IRS 
     harassment. The actions of the IRS have suppressed voter 
     education from Sacramento to the Oregon border in not one but 
     TWO elections!
                                                          Board of
     Directors PECAN.
                                  ____



                                       Roane County Tea Party,

                                                        Tennessee.
       The Roane County Tea Party was originally loosely formed on 
     April 10th, 2009 and formally organized in October of 2009. 
     On January of 2010 we started the paperwork to apply to the 
     IRS for 501(c)(4) status and submitted the paperwork on March 
     20th, 2010. We heard nothing from the IRS (even though we 
     kept calling every month) until January of 2012 when a letter 
     came from the IRS requesting additional information.
       This information was quite extensive and, at that time, we 
     believed it was quite intrusive but we worked on it (eight of 
     us) for

[[Page E1696]]

     about six weeks. Upon completing a massive amount of 
     paperwork we took everything to a CPA with forty years 
     experience doing business to make sure we had completed 
     everything correctly.
       The CPA looked over our documents briefly and then asked 
     who we had angered at the IRS. She went on to comment that a 
     major portion of the documentation was not needed, required 
     or, even legal for the IRS to even ask. The CPA then went 
     through everything over the next couple of days, removing 
     about 80% of the papers, advising us to submit the rest.
       On March 20th, 2012 we submitted the remaining documents 
     per her instructions and waited for a reply.
       By August of 2012 we received an additional set of 
     questions from the IRS and took them directly to the CPA for 
     clarification. Based on guidance from the CPA we responded to 
     these second set of questions and sent them back to the IRS.
       What followed was, what I would characterize as a series of 
     harassing, intimidating phone calls from one Grant Herring, 
     an agent of the IRS to both myself and the RCTP chairman, Val 
     McNabb over the next few months. I personally spoke with Mr. 
     Herring at least three times by phone with the calls lasting 
     up to 45 minutes each. Val McNabb did receive at least that 
     many calls and possibly more.
       Finally in January of 2013 we received one last letter from 
     the IRS with only two additional questions. We answered those 
     questions and notified the IRS that we would not be 
     responding to any more questions and for them to approve or 
     deny us.
       On March 28th, 2013 we received an approval letter dated 
     March 15th, 2013 that we were approved. On June 17th, 2013 we 
     received another letter that our status was revoked. A number 
     of calls to the IRS followed resulting in RCTP receiving a 
     letter of apology on July 11th, 2013 from the IRS telling us 
     they had made a mistake and we were being reinstated.
       If you believe that this saga is over you are mistaken. 
     Shortly after that on August 12th, 2013 we received notice 
     from the IRS that our active status was revoked again for 
     failing to file for three consecutive years a 990N form. What 
     followed were calls to four different IRS offices all over 
     the US by Val McNabb to rectify this problem. After many, 
     many hours on the phone with a half dozen IRS personnel we 
     were returned to active status with the IRS.
       Only the good Lord knows exactly how long our current 
     active status will last.
                                                    Gary Johnston,
     Roane County Tea Party.
                                  ____



                                        Shelby County Liberty,

                                                             Ohio.
       Shelby County Liberty was formed by local citizens 
     concerned about our government diminishing our constitutional 
     liberties and behaving fiscally irresponsible. To positively 
     impact this destructive course we feel a fact-based 
     understanding of our United States Constitution is necessary 
     to understand the freedoms and liberties we are in danger of 
     losing.
       Shelby County Liberty is dependent on donations and the 
     generosity of other non-profit organizations to accomplish 
     Constitution Classes and informative Town Hall meetings. Our 
     group has been told, confidentially, by other tax exempt 
     groups, that they fear loss of their 501(C)3 status if they 
     support us. Private business tell us they fear repercussions. 
     It is nearly impossible to conduct Town Hall meetings, 
     speakers and trainers without money or a meeting venue. When 
     we received the first letter from the IRS Cincinnati office 
     demanding the name of every attendee of every meeting, plus 
     many additional intrusive questions on individuals, we 
     clearly understood why the government is feared.
       Ironically, the very rights the Liberty groups rose up to 
     protect, have been so assaulted that Americans fear 
     retaliation if they exercise those rights, from the 
     government that is suppose to protect and defend those 
     rights.
       Clearly people fear reprisal from our government and this 
     has limited Shelby County Liberty educational activities, 
     hampered support and slowed donations. What kind of a nation 
     do we live in when its citizens fear their own government?
           In Liberty,

                                                   H.R. Pence,

                                             Shelby County Liberty
                                          Communications Director,
     And the entire membership.
                                  ____



                                        Unite In Action, Inc.,

                                                    Nashville, TN.
       Imagine for a moment the most notorious bully ever known to 
     man suddenly sets their sights on you and for three long 
     years that bully in your path every day. That is exactly what 
     Unite In Action has endured. What did we do to deserve such 
     attention? We tried to educate people on the history of 
     America's founding, the Constitution, civics and issues that 
     have an impact on millions of Americans. That raised the ire 
     of someone in a position of power who then directed the IRS 
     to point their guns directly at us.
       The IRS has buried our organization in mounds of paperwork 
     with long lists of extremely intrusive questions totally 
     outside the normal information required for a 501(c)(4) 
     application. They demanded printed copies of everything we, 
     and anyone associated with us, have ever said, distributed, 
     posted, personal information about our board members and a 
     list of our donors.
       We publicly disclosed the demand of the IRS. Our openness 
     has resulted in most of our supporters fleeing for fear of 
     retaliation by the IRS. And who could blame them? Even the 
     most honest taxpayer fears scrutiny by the IRS.
       By cutting off our funding through intimidation, the IRS 
     has effectively silenced our voices and severely hampered our 
     mission to educate the American public about things that 
     should be, but are no longer, taught in our public school 
     systems. Why would anyone want to silence those trying to 
     educate our citizens on how government works and how we 
     became the United States of America?
       As of this writing, our organization has endured the 
     injustice of having our application held hostage for 1225 
     days and counting. Our government should not target its 
     citizens with whom it may disagree or because of what they 
     say. We would expect to see this behavior in China, Russia or 
     Venezuela, not in America where speech is a protected and 
     sacred right. We urge Congress to act swiftly to put an end 
     to such oppression, not just for Unite In Action, but for all 
     Americans.
           Semper Vigilantes,

                                                Jay Devereaux,

                                                        President,
     Unite In Action, Inc.
                                  ____



                                           Wetumpka Tea Party,

                                                          Alabama.
       Thank you for reading my letter. And I thank you again for 
     pursuing the source of this IRS corruption.
       I've been asked to recount the IRS' mistreatment of the 
     Wetumpka Tea Party. I've already done that. In previous 
     testimony, I've explained in detail how the IRS turned a 
     simple 90-day application process into a multi-year 
     bureaucratic debacle. Then, oddly enough, our legal problems 
     suddenly vanished without explanation shortly after the 2012 
     election cycle. As we've learned, hundreds of tea parties and 
     like-minded organizations suffered the same fate.
       The political targeting conducted by the IRS is a national 
     outrage. Those aren't my words. Those words came from 
     President Obama.
       So who gave the order?
       An outrage is committed by a human being. Initially, a 
     Cincinnati IRS office was blamed, but offices can't be held 
     responsible. Only individuals can be held responsible. And 
     those agents in Cincinnati said their directives came from 
     Washington.
       So who gave the order?
       This wasn't a hurricane or an earthquake. This wasn't 
     magic. And the targeting was too consistent and pervasive to 
     be considered coincidental. Someone in Washington, DC decided 
     to target their political adversaries.
       So who gave the order?
       This scandal is unique in American history. Never before 
     have millions of Americans been targeted by their government 
     for their political views. This is not a partisan issue. Both 
     sides can agree that unaddressed government problems tend to 
     get bigger. At root, the actions of the IRS threaten American 
     freedom and every American citizen's faith in their 
     government. That root cannot be allowed to grow.
       It's been more than five months since President Obama 
     promised to hold the IRS accountable. Thus far, no one has 
     been indicted. No one has been fired. And Lois Lerner is 
     taking the fifth.
       So, Mr. President, who gave the order?
                                                  Becky Gerritson,
     Wetumpka Tea Party, President.
                                  ____



                                   Liberty Township Tea Party,

                                                             Ohio.
       Who we are:
       The Liberty Township Tea Party was founded in the summer of 
     2009 with a desire to organize with like-minded individuals 
     with an interest to educate ourselves, and others, about 
     significant current events that are negatively impacting our 
     country and families; and with a commitment to work in 
     concert with other concerned citizens to bring about 
     positive, public policies that are consistent with our core 
     values. We are an independent group and speak for ourselves 
     on all issues. We have cooperative and collaborative 
     relationships with other local like minded independent Tea 
     Party groups but are not part of any state or national group.
       Statement on IRS
       The Liberty Township Tea Party applied for 501c3 status 
     with the IRS in May of 2010. Our Tea Party was modeled after 
     the League of Women Voters with the goal of encouraging the 
     community to become educated in the political process and 
     issues of the day. We received our first round of questions 
     in January of 2011; this set of 34 questions rapidly expands 
     to 95 questions when all of the sub-questions are tallied in. 
     After two follow-up letters by us asking for status and 
     several telephone calls it was not until January 2013 that we 
     heard from the IRS again. This time in the form of eleven 
     more follow-up questions with attendant sub-questions to 
     answer. The Liberty Township Tea Party has engaged in this 
     application process in good faith in this government agency 
     to process the application in a timely manner. That faith in 
     the government's ability and sincerity has been tested to the 
     edge.
       Summary
       It has now been 38 months and we have not been approved or 
     rejected. Our group is premised on the goal of smaller 
     government. The inability of the IRS to make a timely 
     decision, their intrusive illegal politically motivated 
     questioning that went what was

[[Page E1697]]

     beyond reasonable proves to us that our bureaucracies are 
     bloated and our representatives have failed miserably in 
     controlling the agencies they have created. Our right to free 
     speech and assembly has been abridged.
     Liberty Township Tea Party.
                                  ____



                                           Richmond Tea Party,

                                                         Virginia.
       On behalf of the Richmond Tea Party I'd like to express 
     both my outrage over the treatment by the IRS regarding our 
     application for a 501C 4 tax status as well as my concern 
     that when the investigation is over there will be just a 
     slight slap on the wrist along with worthless promises that 
     the IRS will do better in the future. This investigation 
     should not be used solely as political posturing. As you 
     know, we fear big government, from either side of the aisle, 
     and this serves as proof that our fears are well founded. We 
     will be watching to see if Congress will take this abuse of 
     power by the management of the IRS seriously and take 
     substantial corrective action or whether this will just be a 
     political circus show.
       Abuse of power is tyranny and we believe the IRS abused its 
     power and we are seeking redress from our elected officials.
           Respectfully,

                                             Bruce A. Jaggard,

                                            Chairman of the Board,
     Richmond Tea Party.
                                  ____



                                 Rochester Tea Party Patriots,

                                                        Minnesota.
       The Rochester Tea Party Patriots wanted you to know that a 
     simple application request for 501c3 took over 3 years. We 
     started the application process on August 11, 2009, which was 
     lost by the IRS. We resent our application and another year 
     passed. After numerous phone calls being ignored by Mr. Ball, 
     in Cincinnati; our CPA filled a Request for Taxpayer Advocate 
     Service Assistance on August 10th 2011. Within a day after 
     receiving our registered letter he returned our phone call. 
     He advised there was nothing he could do for us, all Tea 
     Party type organizations were being held and handled as a 
     group. We were denied our 501c3 status and but were granted 
     501c4 status on September 6, 2012.
       In the last year of our application process we received 
     many requests from IRS agents requesting exceptionally 
     inappropriate questions;
       ``Please submit statements regarding educational, work and 
     philanthropic backgrounds of the organization's officers . . 
     .'
       ``Names and addresses of our members''
       ``Other than serving as officers for the organization, 
     please provide the names and the addresses of each 
     individual's employer/business, the nature of their 
     employment/business, and the number of hours devoted to their 
     employment/business''
       How these intrusive questions related to our 501c3 
     application has yet to be explained. During this extended 
     application period, our organization incurred additional 
     expenses. We were not able to take advantage of the 501c3 
     discounts for our email and website accounts and ineligible 
     to apply for a number grants.
       In closing, regardless of any organizations perceived 
     political affiliation, no one should be targeted or 
     intimidated by its own government or agents. We ask Congress 
     to hold the persons and organizations accountable for their 
     actions; it was the Tea Party this time who will be next . . 
     . You?
     Rochester Tea Party Patriots.
                                  ____

                                                   Greater Phoenix


                                           Tea Party Patriots,

                                                          Arizona.
       The Greater Phoenix Tea Party was founded as an Arizona 
     non-member/non-profit corporation in late 2009 to educate our 
     fellow citizens about their birthright, and restore America's 
     founding principles to our society and government. At the end 
     of our first full year we filed a 501c4 application with the 
     IRS. In January of 2011, the U.S. Treasury cashed our 
     application check. Months went by with no word from the IRS 
     so we tracked down and queried the agent in charge of our 
     file who provided us with no compelling reasons the delay. In 
     February of 2012, we got one of the infamous IRS letters 
     requesting inapposite information. When several other Tea 
     Party groups across the country got their letters 
     simultaneously, we knew something was up.
       In May of this year, the IRS declared that they had indeed 
     been targeting Tea Party and conservative groups leading up 
     to the 2012 election cycle. Ms. Lerner declared when this 
     scandal came to light, that upon discovering the targeting of 
     conservative groups, she ordered a halt to the practice 
     immediately; yet here we are along with several other groups 
     having not been approved or denied.
       This harassing of ideological adversaries has vindicated 
     the very founding of the Tea Party movement and has given all 
     of our warnings to the American people credence regarding the 
     dangers of big government. Because of their un-constitutional 
     treatment we have filed suit against the IRS.
       Today we are here to urge Congress to act and expose the 
     layers of this very real scandal. We implore you to be 
     relentless in your investigation and administration of 
     justice; being ever mindful of your oaths to uphold the 
     Constitution and the principles of limited government it 
     safeguards. Do this, and all Americans will benefit from your 
     actions, and we will stand beside you and help develop the 
     tools necessary to fight domestic enemies and tyranny. As 
     long as the Federal government continues to expand beyond its 
     delegated bounds and threatens individual liberty, America's 
     standing will continue to shrink and we will accelerate 
     towards an unnecessary national sunset.
           Thank you,
             Executive Committee of the Greater Phoenix Tea Party 
     Patriots.

                          ____________________