ACLJ: IRS Admits Wrongdoing, Apologizes for Targeting Tea Party and Conservative Groups

(Washington, DC) - The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has just obtained a resounding victory in its legal challenge to the IRS’s political targeting of conservative organizations.

In an unprecedented victorious conclusion to a years-long legal battle against the IRS, the bureaucratic agency has just admitted in federal court that it wrongfully targeted Tea Party and conservative groups during the Obama Administration and issued an apology to ACLJ clients for doing so. In addition, the IRS is consenting to a court order that would prohibit it from ever engaging in this form of unconstitutional discrimination in the future.

In a proposed Consent Order filed with the Court yesterday, the IRS has apologized for its treatment of ACLJ clients (Tea Party and other conservative organizations applying for 501(c)(3) or and (c)(4) tax-exempt status with the IRS between 2009 and 2012) during the tax-exempt determinations process. Crucially, following years of denial by the IRS of wrongdoing and blame- shifting by IRS officials, the IRS agency now expressly admits that its treatment of ACLJ clients was wrong.

ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow:

"Throughout litigation of this case, we have remained committed to protecting the rights of our clients who faced unlawful and discriminatory action by the IRS.  Our objective from the very beginning has been to hold the IRS accountable for its corrupt practices. This Consent Order represents a historic victory for our clients and sends the unequivocal message that a government agency’s targeting of conservative organizations, or any organization, on the basis of political viewpoints, will never be tolerated. This Order will put an end, once and for all, to the abhorrent practices utilized against our clients, as the agreement includes the IRS’s express acknowledgment of - and apology for - its wrongful treatment of our clients. While this agreement is designed to prevent any such practices from occurring again, rest assured that we will remain vigilant to ensure that the IRS does not resort to such tactics in the future."

The complete post about the Consent Order is available here.

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), focusing on constitutional law, is based in Washington, D.C. and is online at www.aclj.org.