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February 28, 2006
Failed Retribution
In yesterday's Washington Post came word that Texans for Public Justice, a non-profit Austin-based group that was critical of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's campaign spending, was cleared in an IRS audit.
Obviously good news for Craig McDonald's organization, but the troubling fact is that TPJ was audited in the first place, and the circumstances surrounding that audit.
It turns out Sam Johnson, a fellow Texas Republican congressman, member of the powerful Ways and Means committee, and ally of Tom DeLay, requested the audit based on an unsubstantiated complaint from Barnaby Zall, a Washington attorney also close to DeLay.
Johnson simply sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Mark Everson alleging "disturbing information" about possible tax violations, and off the IRS went. A year and a half (and who knows how many taxpayer dollars) later, apparently there's "no there, there."
Zall, for his part, now can't recall why he pursued the matter, remembering only that someone maybe "said something to me." TPJ's McDonald decided he would find out for himself. One can hardly blame him for wanting to get to the bottom of such a serious and unfounded allegation.
Through Freedom of Information Act requests, McDonald obtained relevant documents, including a somewhat redacted copy of Zall's letter to Sam Johnson requesting the investigation of TPJ. The letter contained no evidence to suggest wrongdoing by TPJ, but did complain about Travis County DA Ronnie Earle's investigation of DeLay.
Using government power to seek retribution against real or perceived political enemies? In today's Republican-controlled Washington?? We are shocked, shocked.
Chilling, no?
UPDATE: TPM has a new twist to the story, namely that IRS rules to prevent political abuse may not have been followed. Again, shocking.
Posted by houtopia at February 28, 2006 10:09 AM