The IRS scandal and a partisan union
by Paul Kersey National Review Reporter Andrew Stiles recently pointed out another group that may have had a hand in using federal tax law to persecute conservative and free market groups – the National Treasury Employees Union, or NTEU. This group represents Internal Revenue Service employees, and has strong partisan preferences. Stiles wrote: The union endorsed Obama...
by Paul Kersey
National Review Reporter Andrew Stiles recently pointed out another group that may have had a hand in using federal tax law to persecute conservative and free market groups – the National Treasury Employees Union, or NTEU. This group represents Internal Revenue Service employees, and has strong partisan preferences. Stiles wrote:
The union endorsed Obama in both of his presidential runs and operates a political-action committee (PAC) that has donated $1.63 million to federal candidates and committees since 2008, more than 96 percent of it to help elect Democrats. During that period, IRS employees have contributed more than $67,000 to the PAC.
Colleen Kelley, the NTEU’s president, is a formidable person in her own right. She was appointed to the Federal Salary Council that sets wages throughout the federal government, and has a tendency to take political fights over the size of government personally: “This is the worst political climate for federal workers in decades … You see these current attacks, they’re nonstop. Literally everyday there’s a new one aimed at federal employees.”
The NTEU represents IRS employees and is in a position to protect them from internal disciplinary processes. And like nearly all government unions, it has a strong interest in the expansion of government. NTEU in particular stands to benefit from the complex tax laws created by ObamaCare. Among the many things that Congress should investigate over the coming weeks is whether or not the NTEU encouraged IRS employees to delay paperwork for conservative and free market oriented groups. They certainly had both the means and the motive to do so.