{"id":12384,"date":"2013-05-17T17:16:02","date_gmt":"2013-05-17T17:16:02","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2013-05-17T17:16:02","modified_gmt":"2013-05-17T17:16:02","slug":"irs_asked_a_pro_life_group_about_its_prayers_but_the_acting_commissioner_doesn_t_think_any_of_this_stuff_is_illegal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admin.rushlimbaugh.com\/daily\/2013\/05\/17\/irs_asked_a_pro_life_group_about_its_prayers_but_the_acting_commissioner_doesn_t_think_any_of_this_stuff_is_illegal\/","title":{"rendered":"IRS Asked a Pro-Life Group About Its Prayers — But The Acting Commissioner Doesn\u2019t Think Any of This Stuff is Illegal!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Listen<\/a><\/p>\n

RUSH: Now, I mentioned at the last segment right before the top of the hour that the IRS was asking religious groups for the content of their prayers prior to granting them tax-exempt status — and, in some cases, not granting it. It came out during the Ways and Means Committee hearing on the IRS scandal. The acting IRS commissioner, Steven Miller, who\u2019s leaving, was testifying. Congressman Aaron Schock, a Republican from Illinois, had a question for him.<\/p>\n

SCHOCK: Let me ask you about another letter that was received by a pro-life group, this one in Iowa. Their question specifically asked from the IRS to the Coalition for Life of Iowa, quote, “Please detail the content of the members of your organizations\u2019 prayers.” Would that be an appropriate question to a 501(c)(3) applicant, the content of one\u2019s prayers?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

MILLER: It pains me to say I can\u2019t speak to that one either but that\u2019s —<\/p>\n

SCHOCK: You don\u2019t know whether or not that would be an appropriate question to ask an applicant?<\/p>\n

MILLER: Speaking outside of this case, which I don\u2019t know anything about, um, i-i-it would surprise me that that question was asked.<\/p>\n

RUSH: (snorts) That\u2019s it? The guy is reluctant — the IRS commissioner, the acting commissioner is afraid — to comment \u2019cause he can\u2019t know the details of the case. Well, let me ask you a question. What details could possibly justify such a question of the Coalition for Life of Iowa? (New Castrati impression) “Well, Mr. Limbaugh, what if they were praying to the lemur?” So what? There\u2019s religious freedom. “But you think it\u2019s okay to pray to animals?” I\u2019m using an extreme example. <\/p>\n

Of course they weren\u2019t praying to lemurs. <\/p>\n

The point is, the IRS commissioner could not condemn the actions of his agency. He held that in reserve. “Well, speaking outside the case, which I don\u2019t know anything about, it would surprise me that question was asked.” It would? Folks, there\u2019s no sense of outrage on this guy\u2019s part at all. Oh, gosh. Jeez. I\u2019m gonna tell you something that many of you aren\u2019t going to want to believe it and you\u2019re gonna reject it. That question is probably, in his mind, entirely legit. <\/p>\n

These people — these uber-radical leftists — one of the characteristics people have that they are most afraid of and distrustful of and threatened by is a deeply devout religious life devoted to God. They don\u2019t understand it. That\u2019s kooky. That\u2019s really weird to them, and in their world it is entirely understandable that we need to know what you\u2019re praying to. “I mean, you\u2019re gonna get tax-exempt status? Who knows, you could be subversive!”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To them, that\u2019s an entirely legit question. This guy would not condemn it. You think it\u2019s hard to believe this is happening in America? I don\u2019t. Not with this current regime. Not with this bunch. I know who they are. I know why they\u2019re in power. They don\u2019t like the way this country was founded. They don\u2019t like the Constitution the way it was written. They don\u2019t like it because it limits them. <\/p>\n

They think this country\u2019s rooted in racism, slavery, prejudice, bias, discrimination, sexism, bigotry, homophobia, you name it. They think this country is immersed and founded in all of that. To them all of that\u2019s corruption, and at the center of it is a belief in God. “Ick!” So, this guy, you heard him. “It pains me to say I can\u2019t speak to that one, either.” You can\u2019t? You can\u2019t tell us that you find that question illegitimate, in deciding whether or not a group gets its tax-exempt status?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s amazing. <\/p>\n

BREAK TRANSCRIPT<\/p>\n

RUSH: Get this. At the hearing this morning, the IRS commissioner, Steven Miller, the guy who\u2019s been “canned.” He was leaving anyway, so he really hasn\u2019t been canned. He\u2019s moving up his departure. (paraphrased exchange) He was asked, “Okay, what do you need? What does the IRS need to keep this from happening again?” Do you know what he said? “We need more money! We need a bigger budget.” When asked how to limit the targeting of certain groups, he said, “Well, we need a bigger budget. We need more agents.” <\/p>\n

No, no, no, no. <\/p>\n

See, that\u2019s why the Tea Party came into existence, because you guys are growing out of control. The federal government\u2019s getting out of control. The federal government is in charge of every aspect of modern life now! The federal government is saying yes or no to way too many things. Yeah, with more money you can screw twice as many people! With more agents you can screw twice as many tax-exempt organization applications. So the guy said, “No, there\u2019s nothing illegal about what happened. <\/p>\n