Dick Durbin’s double standard on IRS targeting conservative organizations

by Brian Costin The story of the Internal Revenue Service targeting conservative-leaning organizations for special scrutiny in nonprofit status is one of the biggest scandals to hit Washington, D.C., in my lifetime. Even U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin – an Illinois Democrat – has weighed in with outrage about the IRS scandal. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:...

by Brian Costin

The story of the Internal Revenue Service targeting conservative-leaning organizations for special scrutiny in nonprofit status is one of the biggest scandals to hit Washington, D.C., in my lifetime.

Even U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin – an Illinois Democrat – has weighed in with outrage about the IRS scandal. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

“It is absolutely unacceptable to single out any political group — right, left or center,” Durbin said. “It goes back to the worst days of the Richard Nixon administration.”

But Sen. Durbin had different thoughts on the issue in 2010. Then Durbin singled out Crossroads GPS and other 501(c)(4)s for extra IRS scrutiny just a few weeks before the 2010 election for President Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.

At the time Crossroads GPS was airing scathing ads against former Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. However, Crossroads GPS hasn’t been charged with any wrongdoing.

Durbin wrote a letter to the IRS requesting an investigation into the status of Crossroads GPS and other organizations’ nonprofit status.

“I write to urge the Internal Revenue Service to examine the purpose and primary activities of several 501 (c)(4) organizations that appear to be in violation of the law,” he said.

I wonder what the 2013 Dick Durbin thinks about the Dick Durbin from 2010?