CLINTON ADMINISTRTION, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE USED IRS AUDITS FOR POLITICAL BASHING

Now it's official: Members of Congress have triggered audits of hundreds of tax-exempt groups this decade by lodging complaints with the Internal Revenue Service against their political foes. The Clinton White House once referred a constituent complaint about a group that had suggested that late White House counsel Vince Foster had been murdered. Democratic lawmakers sought investigations of conservatives ranging from the Heritage Foundation to the Rev. Jerry Falwell.

As you learn more, keep in mind that one of the articles of impeachment against former President Richard Nixon was that he attempted to use the IRS for harassing his political enemies. What is less known is that IRS careerists mostly succeeded in resisting these attempts a generation ago.

We know about the new abuses not because of the news media, which you might expect to be hot on this story, but thanks to a conservative legal group called the Landmark Legal Foundation. Landmark sued the Clinton IRS after noting that nearly every conservative magazine or foundation in the country came under audits during the period 1994-96.

The Clinton administration has thoroughly politicized the IRS. This White House and certain members of Congress can loose the IRS dogs on their enemies. Congress must follow up and hold hearings on this grave abuse of IRS power.