Christian philosopher and theologian Augustine of Hippo once said that punishment is justice for the unjust. But there are times when the guilty are not held accountable, and when it concerns a tyrannical government agency abusing its people – that’s a damn shame.
This lack of justice becomes more than evident as the final touches on a $3.5 M settlement between the government and the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against the IRS were announced this week. The agreement means that the taxpayer will foot the bill for Lois Lerner’s heinous acts of using her position at the IRS to punish hundreds of American organizations for their political beliefs. To date, Ms. Lerner has not only escaped any and all penalties for her egregious actions that put mostly conservative organizations through hell, but thus far hasn’t received so much as a reprimand.
Indeed, there are times in life when money cannot right a wrong, and this is one of them. How do I know this? Liberty Nation’s parent organization was part of this whole ugly saga after being persecuted by Ms. Lerner’s minions for years.
It doesn’t matter that the settlement money won’t cover even half the cost that many of us had to shell out to defend ourselves from a government agency with as much muscle as the IRS. This is because it was never about money – it was about being abused, toyed with and having to endure months – nay, years – of sleepless nights over a tax-exempt status that should have taken three months and ended with a rubber stamp.
Thus far, Ms. Lerner’s deposition regarding her directives at the IRS at the time of the scandal have been shielded from the public. To make matters worse, the settlement doesn’t even include an admission of guilt by good old Uncle Sam. Meanwhile, nothing has been put in place to assure that this type of government tyranny won’t happen again.
Just Take the Money and Run
It seems that all parties involved in this revolting case want those who were illegally targeted for their political philosophy to take the money and run. Oh, the IRS did issue a sincere apology. Thanks be to God for that.
Why has this festering wound not healed? The guilty are getting off scot-free and the innocent taxpayer is having to pick up the tab.
The lawyer who led the charge for the plaintiffs in this case, Edward Greim said, “… emails clearly showed Ms. Lerner being aware of the targeting in 2011 and, rather than stopping it, relabeling it and telling the auditors to keep at it,” according to The Washington Times. Then she doubled-down and put “new processes that guaranteed even more delay,” for those seeking lawful tax-exempt status for their organizations.
Lois G. Lerner, as some may know, took the Fifth during her deposition in front of Congress along with her pal Holly Paz. When both women did open their mouths, some brilliant lawyer convinced a judge that the two would suffer “death threats” if the public got wind of their testimony.
Now, why ever would that be the case?
Let’s remember that the Obama administration cleared Lerner of any wrongdoing and actually asserted that she tried to put an end to it. They even went so far as to indicate Ms. Lerner played the role of heroine in the scandal.
These people apparently think Americans are insipid hillbillies who swallow whatever nonsense that spills out of their lying lips.
Nevertheless, there are those who are still pushing for the truth to come out. Judicial Watch and the Cincinnati Enquirer have continued to request that Judge Michael R. Barrett unseal Lerner’s testimony. One can only hope their plea will prevail, for as British Prime Minister William Gladstone once said, “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
And this is one of those times when justice – not money or apologies – is the only way to right a vile and shameful wrong committed by a woman who abused her power and has yet had to suffer the consequences for her despotic behavior.
