Sauce for the gander

By Mustang Bobby

It turns out the I.R.S. was looking at just about everybody’s “social welfare group” application.

An internal IRS document obtained by The Associated Press said that besides “tea party,” lists used by screeners to pick groups for close examination also included the terms “Israel,” ”Progressive” and “Occupy.” The document said an investigation into why specific terms were included was still underway.

In a conference call with reporters, Danny Werfel said that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he discovered wide-ranging and improper terms on the lists and said screeners were still using them. He did not specify what terms were on the lists, but said he suspended the use of all such lists immediately.

“There was a wide-ranging set of categories and cases that spanned a broad spectrum” on the lists, Werfel said. He added that his aides found those lists contained “inappropriate criteria that was in use.”

Werfel’s comments suggest the IRS may have been targeting groups other than tea party and other conservative organizations for tough examinations to see if they qualify. The agency has been under fire since last month for targeting those groups.

So, can we expect to see a trail of liberals come before Congress to tell heart-wrenching stories about how they were persecuted in the same fashion of the tales of woe by the Tea Party?

I wouldn’t hold my breath on that.

(Cross-posted at Bark Bark Woof Woof.)