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About that planted IRS question...Planted question gambit backfires on IRS officials
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Leroy N. Soetoro
May 20, 2013, 1:07:50 PM5/20/13
to
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/18/irs-scandal-
planted-question/2216747/
WASHINGTON — It was an unusual way to deliver bad news, even in a town
known for its selective leaks, Friday-night news dumps and wag-the-dog
distractions.
The Internal Revenue Service, apparently determined to get out ahead of an
inspector general report critical of its handling of tax exemptions for
Tea Party groups, came up with a plan: Lois Lerner, the official
responsible for the tax-exempt division, would publicly apologize in
response to a question at the American Bar Association conference in
Washington.
Details of the now-infamous planted question emerged Friday after acting
IRS commissioner Steven Miller admitted the gambit under questioning from
members of the House Ways and Means Committee.
It was the day after Lerner had testified to Congress last week, failing
once again to disclose the extent of the Tea Party targeting even under
direct questioning. The damning inspector general report would come out
any day, and Lerner and Miller wanted to figure out a way to disclose the
news publicly.
Miller testified about the thought process behind the release strategy
Friday. "Now that the (inspector general) report was finalized, now that
we knew all the facts, now that we had responded in writing and everything
was done, did it make sense for us to start talking about this in public,"
he said.
The plan, he said, was to simultaneously notify Congress, but that never
happened.
After talking to Miller, Lerner called Celia Roady, a Washington tax
lawyer whose office is immediately across Pennsylvania Avenue from the IRS
headquarters. She also serves on the IRS Advisory Committee on Tax-Exempt
and Government Entities.
Roady released this written statement late Friday explaining her role:
"On May 9, I received a call from Lois Lerner, who told me that she wanted
to address an issue after her prepared remarks at the ABA Tax Section's
Exempt Organizations Committee Meeting, and asked if I would pose a
question to her after her remarks. I agreed to do so, and she then gave me
the question that I asked at the meeting the next day. We had no
discussion thereafter on the topic of the question, nor had we spoken
about any of this before I received her call. She did not tell me, and I
did not know, how she would answer the question."
And so that's how it happened. Within minutes, the Associated Press
reported her remarks with a one-line news alert: "WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS
apologizes for inappropriately targeting conservative political groups in
2012 election."
In a conference call with reporters later that day, Lerner emphasized that
her apology came in response to a question.
"I was asked a question at the ABA meeting to give a status update of
things that have been in the press" about the agency's treatment of Tea
Party groups, she said. Asked why the IRS chose to make an apology that
day, she said, "Someone asked me a question today, so I answered it."
Members of Congress in both parties criticized what they called a "scheme"
and a "manipulation."
"I find it incredibly ironic. You know, on the one hand, you're arguing
today that the IRS is not corrupt. But the subtext of that is you're
saying, 'Look, we're just incompetent,' " said an exasperated Rep. Peter
Roskam, R-Ill., after one line of questioning on Roady's involvement.
Communications professionals said it was a puzzling move that backfired
and alienated members of Congress.
"It violates the golden rule of political crisis management — disclosing
critical facts early," said Nu Wexler, a former Democratic Hill staffer
and vice president of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications.
Lerner "had an opportunity to explain the full story in the May 8th
hearing, and she passed. Members of Congress don't like being misled, and
that's why two key House Democrats are now calling for her resignation,"
Wexler said.
--
Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United
States of America.
Eric Holder, racist black murdering United States Attorney General, still
has his job.
Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed
felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.
Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
in order to cover up his own ineptness.
Obama continues his goal of disarming America while ObamaCare increases
insurance premiums 200% and leaves millions without health care.
Obama helped bankrupt Illinois. Democrat run Chicago closes 54 public
schools.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ne...@netfront.net ---
planted-question/2216747/
WASHINGTON — It was an unusual way to deliver bad news, even in a town
known for its selective leaks, Friday-night news dumps and wag-the-dog
distractions.
The Internal Revenue Service, apparently determined to get out ahead of an
inspector general report critical of its handling of tax exemptions for
Tea Party groups, came up with a plan: Lois Lerner, the official
responsible for the tax-exempt division, would publicly apologize in
response to a question at the American Bar Association conference in
Washington.
Details of the now-infamous planted question emerged Friday after acting
IRS commissioner Steven Miller admitted the gambit under questioning from
members of the House Ways and Means Committee.
It was the day after Lerner had testified to Congress last week, failing
once again to disclose the extent of the Tea Party targeting even under
direct questioning. The damning inspector general report would come out
any day, and Lerner and Miller wanted to figure out a way to disclose the
news publicly.
Miller testified about the thought process behind the release strategy
Friday. "Now that the (inspector general) report was finalized, now that
we knew all the facts, now that we had responded in writing and everything
was done, did it make sense for us to start talking about this in public,"
he said.
The plan, he said, was to simultaneously notify Congress, but that never
happened.
After talking to Miller, Lerner called Celia Roady, a Washington tax
lawyer whose office is immediately across Pennsylvania Avenue from the IRS
headquarters. She also serves on the IRS Advisory Committee on Tax-Exempt
and Government Entities.
Roady released this written statement late Friday explaining her role:
"On May 9, I received a call from Lois Lerner, who told me that she wanted
to address an issue after her prepared remarks at the ABA Tax Section's
Exempt Organizations Committee Meeting, and asked if I would pose a
question to her after her remarks. I agreed to do so, and she then gave me
the question that I asked at the meeting the next day. We had no
discussion thereafter on the topic of the question, nor had we spoken
about any of this before I received her call. She did not tell me, and I
did not know, how she would answer the question."
And so that's how it happened. Within minutes, the Associated Press
reported her remarks with a one-line news alert: "WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS
apologizes for inappropriately targeting conservative political groups in
2012 election."
In a conference call with reporters later that day, Lerner emphasized that
her apology came in response to a question.
"I was asked a question at the ABA meeting to give a status update of
things that have been in the press" about the agency's treatment of Tea
Party groups, she said. Asked why the IRS chose to make an apology that
day, she said, "Someone asked me a question today, so I answered it."
Members of Congress in both parties criticized what they called a "scheme"
and a "manipulation."
"I find it incredibly ironic. You know, on the one hand, you're arguing
today that the IRS is not corrupt. But the subtext of that is you're
saying, 'Look, we're just incompetent,' " said an exasperated Rep. Peter
Roskam, R-Ill., after one line of questioning on Roady's involvement.
Communications professionals said it was a puzzling move that backfired
and alienated members of Congress.
"It violates the golden rule of political crisis management — disclosing
critical facts early," said Nu Wexler, a former Democratic Hill staffer
and vice president of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications.
Lerner "had an opportunity to explain the full story in the May 8th
hearing, and she passed. Members of Congress don't like being misled, and
that's why two key House Democrats are now calling for her resignation,"
Wexler said.
--
Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United
States of America.
Eric Holder, racist black murdering United States Attorney General, still
has his job.
Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed
felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.
Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
in order to cover up his own ineptness.
Obama continues his goal of disarming America while ObamaCare increases
insurance premiums 200% and leaves millions without health care.
Obama helped bankrupt Illinois. Democrat run Chicago closes 54 public
schools.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ne...@netfront.net ---
Billy
May 20, 2013, 3:05:21 PM5/20/13
to
In article <XnsA1C667DBE9...@202.177.16.121>,
"Leroy N. Soetoro" <leroys...@usurper.org> wrote:
With the Tea Party trying to underfund, and prevent the government from
carrying out its regulatory obligations, the IRS targeted a group that
was is associated with that political party, and requesting tex exempt
status. Since they aren't sufficiently funded to vet everybody, they
have to pick where they will look for abuses. Audits are no different.
That honor would have to go to those who voted for Dubya. Obama voters
are only the most disappointed.
non-partisan news agency has touched this story.
>
> Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
> relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
> in order to cover up his own ineptness.
And how much did this have to do with austerity Tea Partiers not funding
embassy security?
>
> Obama helped bankrupt Illinois. Democrat run Chicago closes 54 public
> schools.
You underestimate Wall Street.
--
Remember Rachel Corrie
<http://www.rachelcorrie.org/>
Welcome to the New America.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg>
"Leroy N. Soetoro" <leroys...@usurper.org> wrote:
With the Tea Party trying to underfund, and prevent the government from
carrying out its regulatory obligations, the IRS targeted a group that
was is associated with that political party, and requesting tex exempt
status. Since they aren't sufficiently funded to vet everybody, they
have to pick where they will look for abuses. Audits are no different.
are only the most disappointed.
>
> Eric Holder, racist black murdering United States Attorney General, still
> has his job.
What proof do you have that he is racist, or a murder?
> Eric Holder, racist black murdering United States Attorney General, still
> has his job.
>
> Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
> improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed
> felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.
This only proves that a lot of nut-jobs can make an echo chamber. No
> Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to
> improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed
> felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.
non-partisan news agency has touched this story.
>
> Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
> relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
> in order to cover up his own ineptness.
embassy security?
>
> Obama continues his goal of disarming America while ObamaCare increases
> insurance premiums 200% and leaves millions without health care.
Your right. We need Medicare for everyone.
> Obama continues his goal of disarming America while ObamaCare increases
> insurance premiums 200% and leaves millions without health care.
>
> Obama helped bankrupt Illinois. Democrat run Chicago closes 54 public
> schools.
--
Remember Rachel Corrie
<http://www.rachelcorrie.org/>
Welcome to the New America.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg>
FirstPost
May 20, 2013, 4:28:27 PM5/20/13
to
On Mon, 20 May 2013 12:05:21 -0700, Billy <wild...@withouta.net>
wrote:
Funny how when Bush was president you asshole idiots just kept
repeating one phrase over and over; "It happened on his watch", and
that was good enough for you dimwitted fools to blame him for
everything from the AIDs virus to hurricane Katrina.
Now that you have a wannabe socialist dictator in office you are
bending over backwards to make every excuse for the incompetant fool
you can come up with including "it's still all Bush's fault".
You sycophantic hypocritical dickheads are truly pathetic.
wrote:
repeating one phrase over and over; "It happened on his watch", and
that was good enough for you dimwitted fools to blame him for
everything from the AIDs virus to hurricane Katrina.
Now that you have a wannabe socialist dictator in office you are
bending over backwards to make every excuse for the incompetant fool
you can come up with including "it's still all Bush's fault".
You sycophantic hypocritical dickheads are truly pathetic.
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