Sen. Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, may be leading the current investigation against the Internal Revenue Service, heading hearings about the agency’s admitted targeting of certain conservative-minded nonprofits.
But just a few years ago, Mr. Baucus was actually urging the IRS to do just that — target conservative groups for extra oversight, The Daily Caller reported.
On Sept. 28, 2010, Mr. Baucus wrote to then-IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman: “With hundreds of millions of dollars being spent in election contests by tax-exempt entities, it is time to take a fresh look at current practices and how they comport with the [IRS] code’s rules for nonprofits. I request that you and your agency survey major [nonprofits] involved in political campaign activity to … ensure that political campaign activity is not the organization’s primary activity,” The Daily Call reported.
Mr. Baucus then cited only conservative and Republican groups that he deemed worthy for IRS investigation, The Daily Caller reported. Specifically, he called on the IRS to target Americans for Job Security, Crossroads GPS and American Action Network, three Republican groups.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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