At the same time, the IRS is sending questionnaires to some groups that self-declare their tax-exempt status, seeking more information on their political activity, and it is reviewing tax returns of some exempt groups to make sure they are complying with rules imposing a tax on some of their political activities, tax experts say.
The Sunlight Foundation's John Wonderlich wrote in a blog post that Cispa "is terrible on transparency" and that the shared personal data between firms and the government would be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
For years, most small tax-exempt organizations were exempt from filing requirements with IRS. This all changed a few years back when The Pension Protection Act of 2006 made it mandatory for tax-exempt organizations to file an annual information return or notice with the IRS regardless of how much (or little) income the organization receives.
David Sobel notes that the department wants to be exempt from a Privacy Act requirement that the information collected be relevant and necessary.
NPR: Privacy Groups Sound Warning on Homeland Security Database
It applies when they are imported for processing into information technology products that are either exempt from duty or subject to an indefinite duty suspension.
It found IRS managers had allowed "inappropriate criteria" to be developed and stay in place for more than 18 months, resulting in "substantial delays" in processing applications for tax-exempt status, and requests for "unnecessary information", such as lists of donors.
Basically, vacuum up every piece of information that they can get their hands on and then exempt themselves from the requirements of the Privacy Act.
NPR: Privacy Groups Sound Warning on Homeland Security Database
Letters provided to CNN show IRS officials in Washington and California contacted conservative groups to demand more information before approving the groups' requests for tax-exempt status.
The controversy arose last year, when newly formed tea-party and other conservative groups that had applied for tax-exempt status began receiving letters from the IRS asking them to disclose their donors and other information that typically isn't requested.
The controversy arose in early 2012, when reports began to surface that newly formed tea-party and other conservative groups that had applied for tax-exempt status were receiving letters from the IRS asking for disclosure of their donors and other information that typically isn't requested of groups making such applications.
Republicans also are questioning whether the IRS improperly released confidential donor information about the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organization.
WSJ: Second Top IRS Official Leaves Agency as GOP Scrutiny Rises
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