Academic

WEEKLY STANDARD: Is the IRS Discriminating Against a Pro-Israel Group? In a lawsuit filed in fed?

By Glenn Reynolds

WEEKLY STANDARD: Is the IRS Discriminating Against a Pro-Israel Group?

In a lawsuit filed in federal court today, the pro-Israel group Z Street alleges that it has been discriminated against. Z Street says, in its complaint, that was “informed explicitly by an IRS Agent on July 19, 2010, that approval of Z STREET?s application for tax-exempt status has been at least delayed, and may be denied because of a special IRS policy in place regarding organizations in any way connected with Israel, and further that the applications of many such Israel-related organizations have been assigned to ‘a special unit in the D.C. office to determine whether the organization’s activities contradict the Administration’s public policies.’”

In other words, Z Street was told by an IRS agent that it might not be granted 501(c)(3) status, which would allow the group to be tax exempt, because its position toward Israel differs from the Obama administration’s official policies.

Ordinarily, I’d find these allegations dubious. But in light of other stuff from this administration, not quite so much.

UPDATE: More at TaxProf. Boy, if opposition to American foreign policy can cost you your 501(c)(3) status, we’re going to see a lot of people shut down under the Palin Administration. . . .

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on August 26, 2010 (boomark / email).