The IRS Scandal, Day 275

Power Line Blog op-ed:  Inside the IRS, by William Hencke:

I have been an attorney in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel for over 26 years. Over a number of years, I have attempted, largely unsuccessfully, to alert the public to abuse within the IRS. One of my kids suggested that I contact a blog and Power Line has graciously agreed to publish this account.

I do not personally know whether the IRS has targeted conservative groups or individuals, but I do know that the environment within the agency is ripe for such activity and there is nothing to prevent it from occurring. As stated in more detail below, I have personally witnessed improper giveaways of billions of dollars to taxpayers with inside access at the agency, bullying of elderly taxpayers, the cover-up of managerial embezzlement and misappropriation of thousands of dollars in government funds, and a retaliatory audit. I have also heard credible accounts of, among other things, further improper giveaways, blatant sexual harassment, and anti-Semitism. All of these matters have been swept under the rug. ...

I have no direct knowledge of harassment for political reasons. I fear, however, that the ordinary citizens recounting stories of IRS abuse due to their political beliefs are telling the truth. (It is naïve to think that IRS executives would engage in the activities described above, but somehow draw the line at politically motivated harassment.) If these taxpayer accounts are true, then the IRS executives are doing it for a very simple reason: because they can. There is no accountability for IRS misconduct and people within the agency are scared to speak out and also believe, with considerable justification, that such action would be futile.

I have chosen to speak out in part because I have personally experienced the horrific damage that bureaucratic bullies can inflict. I also have tried to live up to the admonition in Romans 12:21: do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I could sit around and knock down Jim Beam and complain, or I could try to do something constructive about the situation. I chose the latter option.

• Letter from Reps. Elijah Cummings and Gerry Connolly Complaining of Bias by TIGTA
• American Thinker:  More Than a Smidgen: IRS Whistleblower's Terrifying Charges
• Biz Pac Review:  Panel Shuts Down Juan Williams’ Lame Defense of Lois Lerner
• Christian Post:  Using the IRS to Suppress Free Speech
• Chronicle of Philanthropy:  GOP Leaders Call on IRS to Drop Nonprofit-Politicking Reform
• Government Executive:  Two Democrats File Complaint Against Watchdog for Handling of IRS Probe
• Human Events:  IRS Hearings: ‘This Scandal Is Not Over. The Lying Has Not Stopped.’
• Investor's Business Daily op-ed:  ObamaCare, IRS Scandal Are Bad Enough Without GOP Making Stuff Up, by Dana Milbank
• Investor's Business Daily:  Not a Smidgen of Credibility in Obama's IRS Claim
• Life Site News:  As IRS Targeting Scandal Continues, Critics on Left and Right Slam New Regs Limiting Free Speech
• The Moral Liberal:  The IRS Assault of Dissenting Speech
• The Nation: The IRS Swings on Dark Money but Misses the Target
• New American:  E-mail Reveals IRS Proposed Rule Changes to Hurt Conservatives
• News Busters:  CNN Goes Soft on Biden, Ignores ObamaCare, IRS Scandal
• Politicus USA:  Democrats Demand to Know How Much the Republican IRS Witch Hunts Are Costing Taxpayers
• Power Line Blog:  Barack Obama: The George Wallace of Free Speech
• Reuters:  Democrats Say Republicans Hammering IRS for 'Political Purposes'
• Town Hall:  Obama: No Corruption, No Political Motivations in IRS Scandal
• Wall Street Journal:  Former IRS Chief: Democratic Senator Made Us Do It
• WND:  'IRS Probe a Sham, Nonexistent'

• The IRS Scandal, Day 274 (Feb. 7, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 273 (Feb. 6, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 272 (Feb. 5, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 271 (Feb. 4, 3014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 270 (Feb. 3, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 269 (Feb. 2, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 268 (Feb. 1, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 267 (Jan. 31, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 266 (Jan. 30, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 265 (Jan. 29, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 264 (Jan. 28, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 263 (Jan. 27, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 262 (Jan. 26, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 261 (Jan. 25, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 260 (Jan. 24, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 259 (Jan. 23, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 258 (Jan. 22, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 257 (Jan. 21, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 256 (Jan. 20, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 255 (Jan. 19, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 254 (Jan. 18, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 253 (Jan. 17, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 252 (Jan. 16, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 251 (Jan. 15, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 250 (Jan. 14, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 249 (Jan. 13, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 248 (Jan. 12, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 247 (Jan. 11, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 246 (Jan. 10, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 245 (Jan. 9, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 244 (Jan. 8, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 243 (Jan. 7, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 242 (Jan. 6, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 241 (Jan. 5, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 240 (Jan. 4, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 239 (Jan. 3, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 238 (Jan. 2, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 237 (Jan. 1, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 236 (Dec. 31, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 235 (Dec. 30, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 234 (Dec. 29, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 233 (Dec. 28, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 232 (Dec. 27, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 231 (Dec. 26, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 230 (Dec. 25, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 229 (Dec. 24, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 228 (Dec. 23, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 227 (Dec. 22, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 226 (Dec. 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 225 (Dec. 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 224 (Dec. 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 223 (Dec. 18, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 222 (Dec. 17, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 221 (Dec. 16, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 220 (Dec. 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 219 (Dec. 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 218 (Dec. 13, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 216 (Dec. 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 215 (Dec. 10, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 213 (Dec. 8, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 212 (Dec. 7, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 207 (Dec. 2, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 206 (Dec. 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 205 (Nov. 30, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 204 (Nov. 29, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 203 (Nov. 28, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 202 (Nov. 27, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 201 (Nov. 26, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 200 (Nov. 25, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 199 (Nov. 24, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 197 (Nov. 22, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 195 (Nov. 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 194 (Nov. 19, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 190 (Nov. 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 189 (Nov. 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 188 (Nov. 13, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 187 (Nov. 12, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 186 (Nov. 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 185 (Nov. 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 184 (Nov. 9, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 183 (Nov. 8, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 182 (Nov. 7, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 181 (Nov. 6, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 180 (Nov. 5, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 176 (Nov. 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 175 (Oct. 31, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 165 (Oct. 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 164 (Oct. 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 163 (Oct. 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 162 (Oct. 18, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 161 (Oct. 17, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 160 (Oct. 16, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 159 (Oct. 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 158 (Oct. 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 157 (Oct. 13, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 156 (Oct. 12, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 155 (Oct. 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 154 (Oct. 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 153 (Oct. 9, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 132 (Sept. 18, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 130 (Sept. 16, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 129 (Sept. 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 128 (Sept. 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 127 (Sept. 13, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 126 (Sept. 12, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 125 (Sept. 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 124 (Sept. 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 123 (Sept. 9, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 122 (Sept. 8, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 121 (Sept. 7, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 120 (Sept. 6, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 119 (Sept. 5, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 116 (Sept. 2, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 115 (Sept. 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 114 (Aug. 31, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 113 (Aug. 30, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 112 (Aug. 29, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 110 (Aug. 27, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 105 (Aug. 22, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 104 (Aug. 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 103 (Aug. 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 102 (Aug. 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 101 (Aug. 18, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 100 (Aug. 17, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 99 (Aug. 16, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 98 (Aug. 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 97 (Aug. 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 96 (Aug. 13, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 95 (Aug. 12, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 94 (Aug. 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 93 (Aug. 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 92 (Aug. 9, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 91 (Aug. 8, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 90 (Aug. 7, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 89 (Aug. 6, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 88 (Aug. 5, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 87 (Aug. 4, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 86 (Aug. 3, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 85 (Aug. 2, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 84 (Aug. 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 83 (July 31, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 82 (July 30, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 81 (July 29, 2013)
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• The IRS Scandal, Day 78 (July 26, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 77 (July 25, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 76 (July 24, 2013)
• Attorney in Federal Agency General Counsel's Office: There Is 'No Innocent Explanation' for IRS Chief Counsel's Meeting With Obama (July 23, 2013)
• A Cincinnati IRS Lawyer Speaks: We Are Democrats, But Nonpartisan Democrats (July 23, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 75 (July 23, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 74 (July 22, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 73 (July 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 72 (July 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 71 (July 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 70 (July 18, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 69 (July 17, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 68 (July 16, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 67 (July 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 66 (July 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 65 (July 13, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 64 (July 12, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 63 (July 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 62 (July 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 61 (July 9, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 60 (July 8, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 59 (July 7, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 58 (July 6, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 57 (July 5, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 56 (July 4, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 55 (July 3, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 54 (July 2, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 53 (July 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 52 (June 30, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 51 (June 29, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 50 (June 28, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 49 (June 27, 2013)
• House Report: IRS Deputy IT Director Steered $500 Million in Contracts to Pal (June 26, 2013)
• TIGTA: IRS Credit Cards Used for Wine, Porn, $100 Lunches, $140 Dinners (June 26, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 48 (June 26, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 47 (June 25, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 46 (June 24, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 45 (June 23, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 44 (June 22, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 43 (June 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 42 (June 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 41 (June 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 40 (June 18, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 39 (June 17, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 38 (June 16, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 37 (June 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 36 (June 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 35 (June 13, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 34 (June 12, 2013)
• The Problem Is Not Just IRS Lawyers; The Problem Is All Federal Government Lawyers (June 11, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 33 (June 11, 2013)
• The Complete IRS Video Collection (June 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 32 (June 10, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 31 (June 9, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 30 (June 8, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 29 (June 7, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 28 (June 6, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 27 (June 5, 2013)
• Jon Stewart on the IRS Scandal (June 4, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 26 (June 4, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 25 (June 3, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 24 (June 2, 2013)
• 'Cupid Shuffle' Dance Training Video Adds to IRS Woes (June 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 23 (June 1, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 22 (May 31, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 21 (May 30, 2013)
• The Impact of the IRS Scandal on Tax Reform (May 29, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 20 (May 29, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 19 (May 28, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 18 (May 27, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 17 (May 26, 2013)
• Jason Jones on the IRS Scandal (May 25, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 16 (May 25, 2013)
• Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert on the IRS Scandal (May 24, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 15 (May 24, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 14 (May 23, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 13 (May 22, 2013)
• Steven Colbert on the IRS Scandal (May 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 12 (May 21, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal: Really?! (May 20, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 11 (May 20, 2013)
• SNL on the IRS Scandal (May 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 10 (May 19, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 9 (May 18, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 8 (May 17, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 7 (May 16, 2013)
• Phillip Hackney, The TIGTA Report on the IRS Scandal: Be on the Lookout for False Partisan Witchunts (May 15, 2013)
• Ellen Aprill, The TIGTA Report on the IRS Scandal: Questions About the IRS and About the Report (May 15, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 6 (May 15, 2013)
• Inspector General: Ineffective IRS Management Allowed Agents to Target Conservative Groups (May 14, 2013)
• Jon Stewart and Vic Fleischer on the IRS Scandal (May 14, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 5 (May 14, 2013)
• The Deepening IRS Scandal (May 13, 2013)
• Schmalbeck on the IRS 'Targeting' of Conservative Groups (May 12, 2013)
• WaPo and WSJ Agree: IRS Targeting of Conservatives Is Appalling (May 11, 2013)
• IRS Admits to Targeting Conservative Groups in 2012 Election (May 10, 2013)