IRS Not Done Targeting Conservative Groups - New Target: Campaign For Liberty

A year after Lois Lerner admitted that the IRS was inappropriately going after conservative groups, the IRS is continuing this practice!

Under 501(c)(4) IRS Code all organizations filed under this code shall have their donor information remain private.  

The IRS granted Campaign For Liberty this designation. 

Many other political organizations on that preach liberal, social and communist ideologies also have filed under this designation, yet are not under the same scrutiny as Campaign for Liberty.  

Yesterday Ron Paul, founder of Campaign for Liberty sent out the following e-mail to conservatives

Dear Conservative,

 This is one of the toughest letters I’ve ever had to send. 

For years, people have joked that the three most feared letters in the English language may well be these . . .

I – R – S.

But today, I’m not laughing.

Just days ago, the IRS handed Campaign for Liberty a hefty fine and DEMANDED we turn over sensitive contributor information.

If we don’t comply with the IRS’ outrageous demand for sensitive donor information, I’m afraid we’ll face additional fines that could cripple Campaign for Liberty and perhaps even force us to shut our doors.

But, I’m not naive. I know where this is headed.

The statists at the IRS know I’ll NEVER EVER turn over confidential information about Campaign for Liberty’s donors without a fight.

Instead, this is likely just the first in a long line of UNCONSTITUTIONAL and likely ILLEGAL “excuses” this rogue government agency will use to try to shut us up and shut us down by FINING us to death.

So I have a decision to make - a critical decision that could affect Campaign for Liberty’s very survival in the months ahead.

Do I fight on? Do I risk everything? Do I tell the statist IRS to go fly a kite?

Or should Campaign for Liberty just pay up, keep our head down, and hope this never happens again?

 I need you to tell me what to do today.

In just a second, I’m going to give you a link to a Campaign for Liberty Supporter Ballot.

As you’ll see, there will only be two choices on the form - the only two choices I’m faced with today.

But before you decide, please let me explain everything that’s at stake . . .

As I mentioned, what the IRS wants is contributor information on Campaign for Liberty’s top donors, pointing to a rarely enforced and unconstitutional bureaucratic rule.

You see, as a 501(c)(4) organization under IRS law, all Campaign for Liberty contributor information is supposed to be confidential.

This is a critical protection I wholeheartedly support.

Privacy and liberty go hand-in-hand.

In fact, when Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense in 1776, he did so anonymously.

Forcing organizations like Campaign for Liberty to publicize donor information would have an incredibly chilling effect on political speech.

Many liberty-loving Americans would silence themselves for fear of becoming targets of political “retribution.”

And after the Obama IRS was caught red-handed targeting pro-limited government groups for harassment and intimidation, these fears could not be more well-founded.

So there’s no way I would ever just hand this kind of information over to these government bureaucrats. That’s not an option.

So when we filed annual reports with the IRS as required by law, we left this information off.
The IRS now claims that’s the reason we’re being fined!

But the truth is, years ago, after the NAACP complied with IRS demands and promptly saw their donor information publicized, the IRS has only occasionally sought to “enforce” their ridiculous rule.

 The real reason they’re coming after Campaign for Liberty I’m afraid is something far more sinister.

After all, there’s no denying our Liberty Movement is growing.

Only a few years ago, you and I were barely a “blip” on the political screen.

But there’s no denying things have changed, when you consider:

*** Today, we see a growing crop of new Liberty Movement supporters like Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the U.S. Senate;

*** In the U.S. House, there’s Congressmen Justin Amash (R-MI) and Thomas Massie (R-KY).

*** My son, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), is now considered a front runner for President in 2016!

*** Audit the Fed is now a top issue in American politics;

*** The bipartisan National Internet Tax Mandate and the National ID database scheme were supposed to sail through Congress, but you and I have so far held them both off;

*** More and more Americans now oppose radical federal government spying programs and - as we saw with Syria - are more skeptical than ever of foreign military adventurism.

Liberty-minded Americans’ efforts are at the heart of all this success.

I’m convinced these are just the beginning stages of a massive nationwide R3VOLUTION that can usher in a new era of liberty and limited government in America.

That’s why we’re being targeted.

That’s why the statists in BOTH parties want so much to shut us up and shut us down.

I’m afraid, without your support today, they could very well get their wish.

I have no doubt if these ridiculous demands made it to court, Campaign for Liberty would win, hands down.

But I’m afraid that’s not what this is about.

Campaign for Liberty is run on a shoestring budget. We don’t have millions lying around in the bank.

This is about draining us.

This is about forcing me to take resources off of other critical programs just to keep our doors open.

That’s why I want so badly to just say “NO!”

But without an IMMEDIATE influx of funds, I’m afraid we’ll be sitting ducks.

I just won’t be able to pay for everything . . .

But the alternative could be worse.

Paying this outrageous extortionist fine - just to exercise our rights as American citizens to petition our government - may even be cheaper in the short run.

But it’ll just embolden an alphabet soup of other federal agencies to come after us.

This is the price you pay for daring to stand up to a federal government that wants to keep taxing, spending, and printing every American into the poorhouse.

So what do I do?

Won’t you please fill out your Campaign for Liberty Supporter Ballot right away?


I’m going to ask my staff to tally up the votes, and I will proceed as C4L’s generous members and supporters tell me to.

The decision is in your hands.

But , if you tell me to fight, please realize this is serious.

Any potential legal fight is going to take money - money Campaign for Liberty does not have lying around.

So I must ask you to be as generous as you possibly can.

I must ask you to please agree to an emergency gift of $30.

I know that’s a lot.

But this is the IRS we’re talking about. This is not a game.

As I mentioned, this is one of the hardest letters I’ve ever had to send.

I have to ask all Campaign for Liberty supporters to go above and beyond what they’ve done in the past.

But if $30 is just too much, won’t you please agree to $20 or at least $10?



I’m anxiously awaiting your response.

This is not something I can just put off for a later day. I need to hear from you right away.

So please fill out your Campaign for Liberty Supporter Ballot and agree to your most generous gift of $30, $20, or at least $10 today.

For Liberty,
Ron Paul
Chairman

P.S.

Below you’ll find a link to your Campaign for Liberty Supporter Ballot. Please tell me how I should respond to this new IRS threat.

And if you possibly can, please agree to your most generous gift of $30, $20, or at least $10 to help us be ready to fight back TODAY! 

“Forcing organizations like Campaign for Liberty to publicize donor information would have an incredibly chilling effect on political speech,” wrote Paul. “Many liberty-loving Americans would silence themselves for fear of becoming targets of political ‘retribution.’”

That concern is valid. Corporate donors to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative think tank, were pressured by leftist activists to cease their giving. The Obama campaign used FEC disclosures to intimidate Romney donors.

And more recently, Brendan Eich was pressured to resign his post as Mozilla’s CEO because he gave to the organizers of Proposition 8, California’s 2008 anti-gay marriage campaign.