Another Example of IRS Efforts to Chill Speech

It may not seem like a big deal.  A small pro-life group in a small state is offered a deal by the IRS.  But really, this goes to the heart of the first amendment:

[Senator Chuck] Grassley asked [Acting IRS Commissioner Steven] Miller whether it was appropriate for the IRS in effect to offer a small Iowa pro-life group a quid pro quo: the group could become a charity if it did not protest in front of Planned Parenthood.  Miller said it would not be appropriate for the IRS to offer such a quid pro quo. The group, called Coalition for Life of Iowa, applied to the IRS for charitable status in mid-2009. In addition to the quid pro quo suggestion, the group also received a letter from the IRS asking several invasive questions including the details of the group’s prayer meetings.

The IRS tried to intimidate Coalition for Life of Iowa.  All to protect liberal interests on abortion.  This is wrong on so many levels including even the free exercise of religion. 

Even liberal abortion advocates should be opposed to this sort of intimidation.  As RNLA Board Member Doug Chalmers put it in another article:

From a political perspective, the scandal has energized conservative and tea party groups, and there is genuine outrage in the conservative nonprofit community. But many liberals are also concerned, recognizing that if this can be done to conservative groups under a Democratic president, the shoe might easily be on the other foot under a different administration.

While there are always bad apples, Republicans would never do this sort of thing on such a large scale for a number of reasons including they fear the press.  Of course, the Obama Administration with the AP scandal is effectively trying to intimidate even the press and it is working:

"Officials that would normally talk to us and people we talk to in the normal course of news gathering are already saying to us that they're a little reluctant to talk to us," [AP President Gary] Pruitt said on CBS's "Face The Nation" program. "They fear that they will be monitored by the government."

Who will stand up?  Thank you to Senators such as Chuck Grassley who work to keep the pressure on the Obama Administration.