WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington, D.C. this week granted conservative organizations that were targeted by the IRS — including at least one in Alabama — a small, but extremely important victory in their case against the federal government.
Last week, federal judge Susan Dlott refused to grant the Obama Administration’s Justice Department a protective order that would have allowed the agency to keep secret the names of the organizations that were targeted. The Daily Signal wrote Monday that lawyers will now be able to see:
– All charts, lists, spreadsheets or indexes of groups that had their Applications for Tax Exemption selected or flagged by the IRS for heightened review based on an infamous BOLO (Be On the Look Out) edict issued by IRS officials;
– The document listing the 298 organizations that the IRS sent the Inspector General on June 11, 2012; and
– The document titled “Advocacy Case Tracking Sheet” that the IRS sent the Inspector General on the same date.
Since lawyers for the various conservative groups will now be able identify all the groups who were fingered for increased scrutiny by the IRS, they will be able to more easily organize as a “class” with standing for a class action lawsuit.
Alabama’s Becky Gerritson, whose Wetumpka Tea Party group was one of the organizations targeted, told Yellowhammer Tuesday morning that she is glad judge Dlott refused the Justice Department’s request.
“I think this is a great thing, it’s time for this so-called transparent administration to let us see who all was targeted,” Gerritson said.
The Wetumpka Tea Party’s case against the IRS was one that was dismissed by another judge last fall because, though they were discriminated against for months, they were eventually granted their non-profit status. As a result they no longer had standing in court. The forty groups joining the Wetumpka Tea Party are appealing that decision.
“I look forward to seeing who all is on the list,” Gerritson added.
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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015
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