IRS PUNISHED FOR TARGETING CONSERVATIVE GROUPS

    Prior to the 2016 Election, how many of us ever thought we'd see the day again when Government officials would admit wrongdoing and propose restitution for the aggrieved citizens? Well, it's happened. Today Attorney-General Jeff Sessions offered an out-of-court settlements for two class-action lawsuits. The lawsuits were brought by representatives of hundreds of non-profit organizations---mostly affiliated with the 'Tea Party' and other populist-conservative groups---who claim that they were unfairly targeted for special scrutiny by the Internal Revenue Service at the Obama Administration's orders. 

      Sessions hasn't released the amounts of the Settlements as of yet. But he had this to say: "It is now clear that during the previous Administration, the IRS began using inappropriate criteria to screen applications for 501(c) status...The IRS' use of these criteria for heightened scrutiny was wrong and never should have occurred. It is improper for the IRS to single out groups for different treatment based upon their names or their ideological positions. An entitlement to a tax exemption should be based upon the activities of an organization and whether or not they fulfill the requirements of the law---not the policy positions adopted by the members of the group nor the name they choose to reflect those views. There is no excuse for this conduct. Hundreds of organizations were affected by this conduct, and they deserve an apology from the IRS. We hope that today's settlement makes it clear that this kind of abuse of power will not be tolerated."

       There isn't much to add to this except a round of applause. If anyone still doubts that the Beltway culture is changing, this should dispel such doubts. 

         Today's settlement is also important for the legal precedent it establishes. By extension, this should also call into question all acts of discrimination based on ideology; such as is reportedly being done in college admissions. At any rate, this is a huge victory rejecting anti-Conservative bias in the bureaucracy itself.