I’ll get the politics out of my system with this one last post. You don’t expect me to let all of this good material to go to waste, do you.

This one comes from the WSJ and it’s about Catherine Engelbrecht. She lives in Richmond, Texas and she and her husband have a small manufacturing business. They founded two groups, King Street Patriots and True the Vote, and applied for tax-exempt status in July 2010. What they got next goes somewhat beyond the hassles you’ve been reading about.

In December 2010 the FBI came to ask about a person who’d attended a King Street Patriots function. In January 2011 the FBI had more questions. The same month the IRS audited her business tax returns. In May 2011 the FBI called again for a general inquiry about King Street Patriots. In June 2011 Engelbrecht’s personal tax returns were audited and the FBI called again. In October 2011 a round of questions on True the Vote. In November 2011 another call from the FBI. The next month, more questions from the FBI. In February 2012 a third round of IRS questions on True the Vote. In February 2012 a first round of questions on King Street Patriots. The same month the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms did an unscheduled audit of her business. (It had a license to make firearms but didn’t make them.) In July 2012 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration did an unscheduled audit. In November 2012 more IRS questions on True the Vote. In March 2013, more questions. In April 2013 a second ATF audit.

Needless to say she still hasn’t received any exemptions and has filed suit against the IRS.

There’s a not insignificant part of me that hopes Ms. Engelbrecht is  fabricating this tale in an effort to cash in on the scandal. I really don’t want to believe that the rot extends beyond the IRS, for if it does the cleanup will be daunting.