IRS Accused of 'Intimidation Campaign' Against Tea Party Groups

(CNSNews.com) - A conservative civil liberties group accuses the Internal Revenue Service of attempting to "intimidate and silence" a number of tea party groups that have applied for tax-exempt status.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) says IRS requests for information about the groups included "probing questions" that violate the free speech and freedom of association rights guaranteed by the First Amendment.

"This appears to be a coordinated attempt to intimidate Tea Party organizations by demanding information that is outside the scope of legitimate inquiry and violates the First Amendment," said Jay Sekulow, ACLJ's chief counsel.

More