More IRS scandal

[BDKJMU]

Know this broke earlier in the week......

IRS employee conferences cost taxpayers $49 million

WASHINGTON — A division of the Internal Revenue Service spent $4.1 million on a conference in 2010 in Anaheim, Calif., that included "questionable expenses" for keynote speakers, video production and gifts for IRS employees, according to an audit released Tuesday by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The audit found that the IRS held 225 conferences from fiscal years 2010 to 2012 at a cost of $49 million.The Anaheim conference, attended by 2,600 IRS employees, was the driving focus of the audit because it was the most costly during the three-year period of review. The IRS says it has changed spending practices to prevent a recurrence of these incidents.

Highlights of the audit include:

•$50,187 in video production costs including a Star Trek parody and another video featuring 15 IRS division executives and managers dancing on a stage.

•$44,500 for two keynote speakers. One of the speakers was paid to create paintings during his presentation. The speaker created six paintings. One of the paintings was lost. The paintings consisted of portraits of Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan, Abraham Lincoln, U2 singer Bono and two of the Statue of Liberty.

•$64,000 for "numerous gifts/trinkets" for IRS employees.

•$133,000 in commission for two event planners not under contract with the IRS who "had no incentive to negotiate a favorable room rate for the IRS."

The report puts an already embattled IRS on further defense as the agency continues to face scrutiny for its admitted targeting of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status during the height of the Tea Party wave in 2010 and 2011.

Other agencies have faced controversies for conference costs, including the General Services Administration which spent nearly $1 million in 2010 on a lavish Las Vegas conference that resulted in the resignation of the GSA administrator and new efforts by the Obama administration to curtail agency travel spending.

The IRS has already significantly reduced conference spending, according to the report. The IRS cut spending on conferences from approximately $37.5 million in fiscal year 2010 to $4.8 million in fiscal year 2012. IRS Chief Financial Officer Pamela Rue noted in the official response to the report that the "expenditures related to the 2010 meeting are not reflective of the current spending environment at the IRS."

The Treasury Department released a statement outlining its efforts to curtail IRS conference spending and new policies that require any conference costing more than $25,000 to be approved by senior officials, while the Treasury Secretary must approve any conference costing more than $250,000.

The former acting head of the IRS, Steve Miller, resigned from the agency in May in response to the revelation about the targeting of conservative groups. President Obama appointed Danny Werfel as acting commissioner to oversee the agency. Werfel said in testimony Monday that he is doing a broad review of IRS practices."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/poli ... s/2388261/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

Your tax dollars at work.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUZTpWEJWU4[/youtube]

[CID1990]

Keep it coming. Love it.

We'll get a 10% flat tax and 10% sales tax out if this yet. IRS is doing us ALL a favor by being political, secretive and abusive.


Sent from the center of the universe.

[AZGrizFan]

Keep it coming. Love it.

We'll get a 10% flat tax and 10% sales tax out if this yet. IRS is doing us ALL a favor by being political, secretive and abusive.


Sent from the center of the universe.

God we can only hope so.

[BDKJMU]

USA Today article didn't even mention the:
"Despite the standard government practice of negotiating lower room rates, the IRS did not feel the need to negotiate for the presidential hotel suites which today cost $1,500 to $3,500 per night....."
http://www.examiner.com/article/irs-50- ... -at-hotels" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

More signs the IRS is a rogue, corrupt organization:
IRS Buying Spying Equipment: Covert Cameras in Coffee Trays, Plants
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/irs-buy ... ays-plants" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And they have the gall to ask Congress for MORE money. Congress needs to start slashing their budget....

[Bronco]

-
I prefer just a consumption tax

That way everyone pays

What did your states sales tax start out as and what is it now

[kalm]

The IRS scandal is so...last week.

[BDKJMU]

And it keeps coming, and coming, and coming...

"IG: IRS credit cards used for wine, pornography

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON

Poor oversight by the Internal Revenue Service allowed workers to use agency credit cards to buy wine for an expensive luncheon, dorky swag for managers' meetings and, for one employee, romance novels and diet pills, an agency watchdog said Tuesday.

Two IRS credit cards were used to buy online pornography, though the employees said the cards were stolen. One of the workers reported five agency credit cards lost or stolen.

IRS employees used agency credit cards to make more than 273,000 purchases totaling nearly $108 million in 2010 and 2011, according to the report by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The vast majority of those purchases were legitimate, the report said. However, the report said the IRS has inadequate controls to prevent inappropriate purchases.

For example, investigators found that one IRS employee spent $2,655 on diet pills, romance novels, steaks, a smartphone and baby-related items, including bottles, games and clothes. The case was referred to the IG's office that investigates employee misconduct, the report said.

Among other "improper" purchases identified by the inspector general:

_ $3,152 to rent a popcorn machine and to buy prizes for an employee event, including bandanas, stuffed animals, sunglasses and stovepipe hats.

_ $418 for novelty decorations and swag at managers' meetings, including kazoos, bathtub toys and "Thomas the Tank Engine" wristbands.

_ $119 for Nerf footballs that were never used and were found stored in a filing cabinet.

"Inadequate procedures to identify, report and address inappropriate use leaves the IRS purchase card program vulnerable to repeated violations of applicable laws and regulations," said J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The report comes as the IRS faces intense scrutiny over agents targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. Documents released Monday show that liberal and progressive groups were singled out, too.

Also, the inspector general released a report earlier this month that detailed lavish spending at employee conferences. In all, the agency spent nearly $50 million on employee conferences from 2010 through 2012.

"Clearly, any inappropriate card use impacts our bottom line and is cause for concern," said acting IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, who took over the agency last month. "Wasteful spending cannot be tolerated, and any employees found to be abusing the system will be held accountable. In fact, we are following up on several inappropriate incidents mentioned in the report, ranging from internal actions to criminal charges."

"That said, more than 99.75 percent of IRS purchases adhered to the rules," Werfel added. "The IRS has made important progress over the past two years in strengthening the controls in our purchase card program. We are committed to protecting taxpayer resources, and we will take quick action to implement all of TIGTA's recommendations."

The new report highlighted a 2010 conference in Washington for tax officials from other countries. At a luncheon, the IRS bought 28 bottles of wine _ for 41 guests, the report said. A dinner at the conference cost the agency $140 a person, four times the allowable government rate at the time.

In all, the agency spent more than $50,000 on meals, receptions and meetings at the five-day conference, the report said. Agency credit cards were used for about $12,500 of the purchases.

"It is important to note that the luncheon described in the report took place in 2010 for an international business meeting of tax officials from several of the world's largest countries. This meeting is an important forum for international leaders on major tax issues," Werfel said. "However, given the excessive purchases for the luncheon, I am directing the IRS business units to more closely review spending in advance for any similar events to ensure all spending is appropriate."

The IRS participates in the General Services Administration's SmartPay purchase card program. Under the program, agency employees can use purchase cards, which act like credit cards, to buy work-related items. The maximum amount for an individual purchase is $3,000.

More expensive items are subject to competitive pricing policies.

In 2010 and 2011, internal controls at the IRS found 327 cases in which employees divided their purchases to skirt the $3,000 limit. The inspector general's office found an additional 34 cases. In all, the purchases totaled $493,000, the report said.

The report said 94 employees were responsible for the purchases, including 22 workers who had done it more than once in a six-month period. However, the report said, none of the employees were disciplined.

As for the two IRS employees whose cards were used to buy pornography, the inspector general's report didn't determine who bought the material or whether their cards were actually stolen. One of the employees is no longer at the agency. The IG is continuing to investigate the other employee, the report said."
http://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/DA7512Q00" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[kalm]

And it keeps coming, and coming, and coming...

"IG: IRS credit cards used for wine, pornography

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON

Poor oversight by the Internal Revenue Service allowed workers to use agency credit cards to buy wine for an expensive luncheon, dorky swag for managers' meetings and, for one employee, romance novels and diet pills, an agency watchdog said Tuesday.

Two IRS credit cards were used to buy online pornography, though the employees said the cards were stolen. One of the workers reported five agency credit cards lost or stolen.

IRS employees used agency credit cards to make more than 273,000 purchases totaling nearly $108 million in 2010 and 2011, according to the report by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The vast majority of those purchases were legitimate, the report said. However, the report said the IRS has inadequate controls to prevent inappropriate purchases.

For example, investigators found that one IRS employee spent $2,655 on diet pills, romance novels, steaks, a smartphone and baby-related items, including bottles, games and clothes. The case was referred to the IG's office that investigates employee misconduct, the report said.

Among other "improper" purchases identified by the inspector general:

_ $3,152 to rent a popcorn machine and to buy prizes for an employee event, including bandanas, stuffed animals, sunglasses and stovepipe hats.

_ $418 for novelty decorations and swag at managers' meetings, including kazoos, bathtub toys and "Thomas the Tank Engine" wristbands.

_ $119 for Nerf footballs that were never used and were found stored in a filing cabinet.

"Inadequate procedures to identify, report and address inappropriate use leaves the IRS purchase card program vulnerable to repeated violations of applicable laws and regulations," said J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The report comes as the IRS faces intense scrutiny over agents targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. Documents released Monday show that liberal and progressive groups were singled out, too.

Also, the inspector general released a report earlier this month that detailed lavish spending at employee conferences. In all, the agency spent nearly $50 million on employee conferences from 2010 through 2012.

"Clearly, any inappropriate card use impacts our bottom line and is cause for concern," said acting IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, who took over the agency last month. "Wasteful spending cannot be tolerated, and any employees found to be abusing the system will be held accountable. In fact, we are following up on several inappropriate incidents mentioned in the report, ranging from internal actions to criminal charges."

"That said, more than 99.75 percent of IRS purchases adhered to the rules," Werfel added. "The IRS has made important progress over the past two years in strengthening the controls in our purchase card program. We are committed to protecting taxpayer resources, and we will take quick action to implement all of TIGTA's recommendations."

The new report highlighted a 2010 conference in Washington for tax officials from other countries. At a luncheon, the IRS bought 28 bottles of wine _ for 41 guests, the report said. A dinner at the conference cost the agency $140 a person, four times the allowable government rate at the time.

In all, the agency spent more than $50,000 on meals, receptions and meetings at the five-day conference, the report said. Agency credit cards were used for about $12,500 of the purchases.

"It is important to note that the luncheon described in the report took place in 2010 for an international business meeting of tax officials from several of the world's largest countries. This meeting is an important forum for international leaders on major tax issues," Werfel said. "However, given the excessive purchases for the luncheon, I am directing the IRS business units to more closely review spending in advance for any similar events to ensure all spending is appropriate."

The IRS participates in the General Services Administration's SmartPay purchase card program. Under the program, agency employees can use purchase cards, which act like credit cards, to buy work-related items. The maximum amount for an individual purchase is $3,000.

More expensive items are subject to competitive pricing policies.

In 2010 and 2011, internal controls at the IRS found 327 cases in which employees divided their purchases to skirt the $3,000 limit. The inspector general's office found an additional 34 cases. In all, the purchases totaled $493,000, the report said.

The report said 94 employees were responsible for the purchases, including 22 workers who had done it more than once in a six-month period. However, the report said, none of the employees were disciplined.

As for the two IRS employees whose cards were used to buy pornography, the inspector general's report didn't determine who bought the material or whether their cards were actually stolen. One of the employees is no longer at the agency. The IG is continuing to investigate the other employee, the report said."
http://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/DA7512Q00" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Honestly...who actually pays for on-line pornography. That kind of stupidity right there is reason enough to go to a flat tax.

Meanwhile...in other news that I'm guessing BDK might have missed:

The Internal Revenue Service's screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader and lasted longer than has been previously disclosed, the new head of the agency said on Monday.

An internal IRS document obtained by the Associated Press said that besides "tea party", lists used by screeners to pick groups for close examination also included the terms "Israel", ''progressive" and "occupy". The document said an investigation into why specific terms were included was ongoing.

In a conference call with reporters, Danny Werfel said that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he discovered wide-ranging and improper terms on the lists and said screeners were still using them. He did not specify what terms were on the lists, but said he suspended the use of all such lists immediately.

"There was a wide-ranging set of categories and cases that spanned a broad spectrum" on the lists, Werfel said. He added that his aides found those lists contained "inappropriate criteria that was in use".

Werfel's comments suggest the IRS may have been targeting groups other than Tea Party and other conservative organizations for tough examinations. The agency has been under fire since last month for targeting those groups. His comments also indicate that the use of inappropriate terms on such lists lasted longer than has been revealed previously. A report last month by a Treasury Department inspector general said agency officials abolished the targeting of conservative groups with those lists in May 2012.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ju ... occupy-tax" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[houndawg]

And it keeps coming, and coming, and coming...

"IG: IRS credit cards used for wine, pornography

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON

Poor oversight by the Internal Revenue Service allowed workers to use agency credit cards to buy wine for an expensive luncheon, dorky swag for managers' meetings and, for one employee, romance novels and diet pills, an agency watchdog said Tuesday.

Two IRS credit cards were used to buy online pornography, though the employees said the cards were stolen. One of the workers reported five agency credit cards lost or stolen.

IRS employees used agency credit cards to make more than 273,000 purchases totaling nearly $108 million in 2010 and 2011, according to the report by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The vast majority of those purchases were legitimate, the report said. However, the report said the IRS has inadequate controls to prevent inappropriate purchases.

For example, investigators found that one IRS employee spent $2,655 on diet pills, romance novels, steaks, a smartphone and baby-related items, including bottles, games and clothes. The case was referred to the IG's office that investigates employee misconduct, the report said.

Among other "improper" purchases identified by the inspector general:

_ $3,152 to rent a popcorn machine and to buy prizes for an employee event, including bandanas, stuffed animals, sunglasses and stovepipe hats.

_ $418 for novelty decorations and swag at managers' meetings, including kazoos, bathtub toys and "Thomas the Tank Engine" wristbands.

_ $119 for Nerf footballs that were never used and were found stored in a filing cabinet.

"Inadequate procedures to identify, report and address inappropriate use leaves the IRS purchase card program vulnerable to repeated violations of applicable laws and regulations," said J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

The report comes as the IRS faces intense scrutiny over agents targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. Documents released Monday show that liberal and progressive groups were singled out, too.

Also, the inspector general released a report earlier this month that detailed lavish spending at employee conferences. In all, the agency spent nearly $50 million on employee conferences from 2010 through 2012.

"Clearly, any inappropriate card use impacts our bottom line and is cause for concern," said acting IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, who took over the agency last month. "Wasteful spending cannot be tolerated, and any employees found to be abusing the system will be held accountable. In fact, we are following up on several inappropriate incidents mentioned in the report, ranging from internal actions to criminal charges."

"That said, more than 99.75 percent of IRS purchases adhered to the rules," Werfel added. "The IRS has made important progress over the past two years in strengthening the controls in our purchase card program. We are committed to protecting taxpayer resources, and we will take quick action to implement all of TIGTA's recommendations."

The new report highlighted a 2010 conference in Washington for tax officials from other countries. At a luncheon, the IRS bought 28 bottles of wine _ for 41 guests, the report said. A dinner at the conference cost the agency $140 a person, four times the allowable government rate at the time.

In all, the agency spent more than $50,000 on meals, receptions and meetings at the five-day conference, the report said. Agency credit cards were used for about $12,500 of the purchases.

"It is important to note that the luncheon described in the report took place in 2010 for an international business meeting of tax officials from several of the world's largest countries. This meeting is an important forum for international leaders on major tax issues," Werfel said. "However, given the excessive purchases for the luncheon, I am directing the IRS business units to more closely review spending in advance for any similar events to ensure all spending is appropriate."

The IRS participates in the General Services Administration's SmartPay purchase card program. Under the program, agency employees can use purchase cards, which act like credit cards, to buy work-related items. The maximum amount for an individual purchase is $3,000.

More expensive items are subject to competitive pricing policies.

In 2010 and 2011, internal controls at the IRS found 327 cases in which employees divided their purchases to skirt the $3,000 limit. The inspector general's office found an additional 34 cases. In all, the purchases totaled $493,000, the report said.

The report said 94 employees were responsible for the purchases, including 22 workers who had done it more than once in a six-month period. However, the report said, none of the employees were disciplined.

As for the two IRS employees whose cards were used to buy pornography, the inspector general's report didn't determine who bought the material or whether their cards were actually stolen. One of the employees is no longer at the agency. The IG is continuing to investigate the other employee, the report said."
http://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/DA7512Q00" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Honestly...who actually pays for on-line pornography. That kind of stupidity right there is reason enough to go to a flat tax.

Meanwhile...in other news that I'm guessing BDK might have missed:

The Internal Revenue Service's screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader and lasted longer than has been previously disclosed, the new head of the agency said on Monday.

An internal IRS document obtained by the Associated Press said that besides "tea party", lists used by screeners to pick groups for close examination also included the terms "Israel", ''progressive" and "occupy". The document said an investigation into why specific terms were included was ongoing.

In a conference call with reporters, Danny Werfel said that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he discovered wide-ranging and improper terms on the lists and said screeners were still using them. He did not specify what terms were on the lists, but said he suspended the use of all such lists immediately.

"There was a wide-ranging set of categories and cases that spanned a broad spectrum" on the lists, Werfel said. He added that his aides found those lists contained "inappropriate criteria that was in use".

Werfel's comments suggest the IRS may have been targeting groups other than Tea Party and other conservative organizations for tough examinations. The agency has been under fire since last month for targeting those groups. His comments also indicate that the use of inappropriate terms on such lists lasted longer than has been revealed previously. A report last month by a Treasury Department inspector general said agency officials abolished the targeting of conservative groups with those lists in May 2012.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ju ... occupy-tax" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You're going to spoil BDKJKF's whole day now..

[BDKJMU]

Tea Party groups were not just on a BOLO like some liberal groups were. They were:
1. sent intrusive and inappropriate questions
2. had their donors threatened with gift taxes
3. had their confidential information leaked.
4. subjected to extra scrutiny by 12 different working groups within the IRS.
5. Applications delayed more than 2 years
http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/25/gop-c ... z2XKn2tm7l" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

None of that s*it happened to liberal groups on a broad basis like it did to conservative groups, even if some of those liberal groups were on an IRS BOLO. So any attempt to compare the treatment of TEA party, religious & groups with patriot in their name to the treatment of lib groups = FAIL.