North Columbus News

In a recent letter addressed to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel, Senator JD Vance from Ohio, along with Senator Mike Braun from Indiana, expressed concerns about the IRS's investigation into the conservative watchdog group, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF). The senators questioned whether the investigation was politically motivated and requested answers regarding the decision to target the AAF.

The IRS has a history of unfairly targeting conservative groups, particularly during the Obama administration. Senator Vance's letter highlights this issue, stating, "We write to express serious concern about your agency's recent decision to audit the American Accountability Foundation ('AAF'), a non-profit organization dedicated to government transparency and oversight. In particular, we are concerned that this enforcement action is motivated by politics and does not reflect an evenhanded effort to enforce the law."

The senators pointed out that the IRS has not presented any evidence that the AAF has failed to comply with the requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. They also questioned why the IRS chose to target the AAF when there are thousands of other non-profit organizations that could have been audited. They asked whether the IRS has considered audits of non-profits with progressive or left-wing views and if so, why they declined to pursue enforcement in those cases.

Senator Vance's letter also raises the possibility of political influence in the IRS's decision to target the AAF. He mentions public reporting suggesting that the IRS has been lobbied by Democratic Senators to investigate the AAF's tax-exempt status. The AAF asserts that the interest from Democrats in their tax compliance spiked after the organization published correspondence between Senate Democrats and the administration, in which the IRS was encouraged to target conservative groups.

To ensure transparency and a constructive public debate, Senator Vance requested answers to specific questions from the IRS by December 6, 2023. These questions include whether any IRS employees discussed the AAF's political orientation in connection with the enforcement action, why the agency chose to audit the AAF, and whether any public officials encouraged the IRS to pursue an enforcement action against the AAF.

The full letter can be read on Senator Vance's website or on Fox News. This investigation raises concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the IRS's actions towards conservative groups, and it remains to be seen how the IRS will respond to Senator Vance's questions and address these concerns.

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.vance.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-vance-raises-concerns-over-irs-targeting-conservative-groups