Chairman Camp: IRS Flagged Tea Party Groups Based on ‘Media Attention,’ Discussed Rules ‘Off-Plan,’ Meaning ‘Hidden From the Public’

CNS News reports:

Documents obtained by the House Ways and Means Committee show that IRS officials first started flagging Tea Party applications for tax-exempt status in February 2010 because of “media attention,” and that Treasury and IRS officials had discussed potentially addressing the tax-exemption rules for such groups “off-plan,” meaning “hidden from the public,” said Committee Chariman Dave Camp (R-Mich.).

In a hearing on the IRS-Tea Party scandal on Wednesday, Chairman Camp questioned IRS Commissioner John Koskinen about the Treasury Department apparently crafting rules to limit the ability of conservative and Tea Party groups to get 501(c)4 exemptions to engage in public debate.

Secrecy is the mark of tyranny.