WASHINGTON - Thursday, the legal group Liberty Counsel released FBI investigation findings that the IRS - while being led by the former IRS Chairman Lois Lerner - began intensifying their efforts against conservative groups with a Tea Party or Patriot connection in 2011. That meant that when a question was planted from the audience at a 2013 conference, the IRS' strategy to discourage the Tea Party movement had been in place for two years.
West Suburban Patriots was among several Illinois groups that began getting questions from the IRS as early as 2011. The group's founder and coordinator Carol Davis wants to correct any misperceptions: despite the increased attention from the IRS, their group did not withdraw their application for 501c4 status.
They did not back down from the IRS when the queries started. In fact, they pushed back.
"We are eight years old now and we are a thriving and growing group, and an officially-recognized 501c4," Davis wrote.
Indeed, West Suburban Patriots is recognized as one of the largest Tea Party groups in the nation.
"When the Lerner-led inquisition letters started coming in 2011, we soon realized that many other groups around the country were also being targeted as we were. Some groups yielded to the government oppression, but we decided to push back because there were so many of us," she wrote.
And in her typical inspirational, feisty and unintimidated manner, Carol Davis made this point:
"Yes, standing up to a bloated, out-of-control oppressive government is difficult, but it was the right thing to do! ALWAYS PUSH BACK! DO NOT GO QUIETLY," she said. "We are now actively and vocally advocating for the impeachment of IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, who lied and destroyed evidence."
This weekend, the West Suburban Patriots are hosting a booth at the DuPage County Fair. Here's a question they asked attendees:
For more information on West Suburban Patriots' meetings and events, visit their website HERE.
