Tea Party groups protest IRS outside Gold Dome
Deal, Barr wag finger at federal agency over targeting of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status
- David Schick
- Debbie Dooley of the Tea Party Patriots addresses the crowd
Georgia Tea Party groups braved yesterday’s muggy Atlanta heat and rallied outside the Gold Dome as part of a nationwide protest against the Internal Revenue Service. The federal agency recently acknowledged that it specifically targeted some conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status.
About 200 people attended yesterday’s rally, one of many held across the country to protest the IRS. Among those in attendance: Gov. Nathan Deal; Bob Barr, a former Republican Georgia Congressman who’s running to return to the U.S. House of Representatives; and Karen Handel, the former Georgia secretary of state and current U.S. Senate hopeful.
“Where there is smoke, there is fire,” said Barr, who described the IRS’ activities as “unlawful.” “There’s plenty of smoke in Washington.”
Deal said the IRS needs to rehabilitate its image, which he thinks will be difficult because the agency stepped “across the line” in a way that most people wouldn’t think possible.
“I think it’s going to take a very thorough system of putting in restraints and instructions,” Deal said. “And following up on those instructions to make sure that the policies that are put in print are actually the policies that are practiced. And that takes constant vigilance.”
In addition to the scandal, protesters armed up with “Dismantle the IRS” picket signs cried foul over Obamacare and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s role in the explanation of several diplomats’ deaths in Benghazi. Protesters also passed around a petition urging Deal to not opt in to the expansion of Medicaid.