Brewing Irs News Today

To nine months to get approval for these statuses. yet tea party groups, 912 groups, patriot groups around the country have been waiting years now as the irs continues to string us along. >> how expensive and time-consuming was the process? i understand that they would ask you to respond to a number of questions and demands and it would take a long time. is that right? >> well, they sent a letter asking for all sorts of questions including the names or the posts that were on our facebook pages, ...

Be targeted at all. but there are legitimate questions about whether groups with a clear political agenda should get this special tax-exempt status. what is your argument for why your group should not have to pay taxes? >> well, with a 501c-4 status youre allowed to have an agenda. youre allowed to be concerned about issues. that thats what were concerned about. we stand up for fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limiting governments and free markets. weve never endorsed a candidate. our pri...

That at anybody. theyre not asking for sympathy here, jake. they just -- they want to go home, and they have not been able to do that ever since they were set free because of the threats that have been made against them. and that is all they want. they just -- they are not angry at the police. they just want to go home. jake? >> martin, police were back at the castro home today. any idea what theyre looking for? >> reporter: yeah. it was interesting because it was here this morning and they were...

He visited asu in 2009 and the university would not give him an honorary degree because he was so new. >> president crow and the board of regents will soon learn about being audited by the irs. >> after that of course came the birth of the tea party in 2010. some of the conservative groups suspected they were treated differently by the irs but the irs commissioner appointed by president george w. bush and retired in november assured congress that was not the case. >> an organization theres absol...

Decision to categorize applications. the irs says there was nothing partisan or political about it but the criticism heading their way, well, its unrelenting and bipartisan. well talk to a tea party group that says they were unfairly singled out by the irs. thats later in the show. senator al franken is with us today for a rare interview. i also want to ask him about the brewing irs scandal in just a moment. but hes here also to talk about our money lead. they were blamed for playing a pivotal...

All the political groups out there that are taking tax exempt status for being, quote unquote, educational? >> well, this is the issue. it just should be done in a completely nonpartisan way. but these are -- these 501c-4s, in order to be tax exempt, in order for people to give them money and also not be disclosed who they are, the 501c-4 has to spend at least 50% plus $1 on actual social welfare. so some of these organizations have been -- you foe, it looks like theyve been spending more an on ...

Wall street reform act. its up to the securities and exchange commission to take the next step. >> exactly. >> do you sense -- the s.e.c. has been criticized a lot in the past for being part of the problem and not -- and being on the side of the bankers and not the consumers. how much confidence do you have that the s.e.c. will embrace your plan? >> well, i talked to mary jo white before she was confirmed about this. she confirmed me this is very important. its time for the s.e.c. to act, time f...

Issue, and a lot of democrats are basically in a defensive crouch willing to defend the president on this and frankly dont care that much. this could change now. we have new information. what the president alluded to there in terms of the talking points coming out to you, saying it was no big deal, yes the white house released that. well, they released it under the pressure of an investigation by the house, right? that adds a whole new set of facts. >> no. they released it at a confirmation hear...