IRS Admits Wrongdoing, to Pay $50,000 in Leaking of Marriage Group’s Tax Return to Gay Rights Activist (Congress, illegal)

[uggabugga]

props to brentwoodgirl, this deserves a thread of its own.

In February 2012, the Human Rights Campaign posted on its web site National Organization for Marriage’s 2008 tax return and the names and contact information of the marriage group’s major donors, including soon-to-be Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. That information then was published by the Huffington Post and other liberal-leaning news sites.

but wait, there's more!

HRC’s president at the time, Joe Solmonese, was tapped that same month as a national co-chairman of President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign.

IRS Admits Wrongdoing, to Pay $50,000 in Leaking of Marriage Group’s Tax Return

[brentwoodgirl]

Here's another link to a story with even more info:

After the list was published, Joe Solmonese left his position as president of HRC to become national co-chairman of President Barack Obama's re-election campaign.

Someone at the IRS gave the confidential documents to Matthew Meisel, a gay rights activist, the lawsuit revealed through emails between Meisel and a colleague. When asked to testify, Meisel invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself and refused to reveal who at the IRS provided him with the documents.

IRS to Pay $50,000 to National Organization for Marriage for Leaking Confidential Information to Human Rights Campaign

The same DOJ who is refusing to pursue this proven case of illegal IRS activity is supposedly "investigating" the IRS targeting of conservatives.

[aplcr0331]

What a fake scandal.

You racist homophobes.

[pknopp]

This is why the (R)'s need to quit having hearings and get this into the courts.

[EmeraldCityWanderer]

Wait, I thought the IRS only targeted conservatives based on Obama's orders.

Were the people who made those claims lying?

[michiganmoon]

I have supported gay marriage since I was a college kid in the 1990s, which is a lot longer than Hillary or Obama (who changes on this issue as the wind changes).

But I am 100% opposed to the illegal leaking of tax data of this group, even though I am opposed to their idea. I am glad to see the IRS punished for this illegal act that infringes upon that groups legal rights. However, I would like to see an INDIVIDUAL within the IRS punished for leaking the data.

[pknopp]

It's sad though....

“Congress made the disclosure of confidential tax return information a serious matter for a reason,” NOM Chairman John D. Eastman told The Daily Signal. “We’re delighted that the IRS has now been held accountable for the illegal disclosure of our list of major donors from our tax return.”

The IRS has not been held accountable. Tax payers have been. Tax payers have to pay this. Someone instructed this information be released and that person should have been fired and prosecuted.

[Think4Yourself]

The reality is we should copy the open records laws of countries like Sweden and Norway and make all tax documents public documents. There is no reason for them to be secret, they are official government documents, and the more transparency we have in our government the better.

[DRob4JC]

$50,000 is not even a slap on the wrist. It's more like a stomach growl.

[Tilt11]

Thats it? And isnt that actually our money? No one is fired? That should be jail time! What the hell!