Grover Norquist Faces Ruin, But No Jail Time

[LiviaOlivia]

Tpmmucker.com
Grover Faces Ruin, But No Jail Time
By Paul Kiel - June 23, 2006

As I mentioned yesterday, Grover Norquist, the cold-blooded anti-tax bogeyman of the right, got hit hard yesterday in the McCain report.

It's now clear to anyone who's paid attention that Norquist used his non-profit, Americans for Tax Reform, as a money-washing business and lobbying firm. He took a "management fee" for laundering gaming money through to Ralph Reed. He has a long list of corporate donors that seek his help; and like any other lobbyist, his advocacy is for sale -- even to Democrats.

So what? Is there even a chance that he's going to jail? I called up Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor and the Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Her group filed a IRS complaint against ATR back in March.

The answer, it turns out, is no. The worst that could happen to Norquist, according to Sloan, would be for the IRS to crack down on ATR. His group would lose its 501(c)3 status. That would result in hefty fines, and his donors would be mighty upset, since their contributions would suddenly become taxable. One of the pillars of the modern conservative movement would be disgraced. Pretty bad. But there's not really a criminal case to make against Norquist. No jail time.

~snip~

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000988.php

[tridim]

1. Yep, money laundering is apparently legal now

If you're white, rich and Republican.

[calimary]

2. It would be such sweet, ironic justice to see his "Americans for Tax

Reform" be REFORMED - by losing its tax-exempt status.

If I were running things, one of the many matters I'd address, by executive order, would be removing the tax exempt status of EVERY wrong-wing group that tries to influence government out of bounds. First target: churches. As long as they politick, they better ante up.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. I think this whole dustup between McCain's committee and Grover

is payback for the shit McCain got in the 2000 primaries. In fact, Grover is collateral damage, the real target of McCain's 'git-'em-back' was Little Ralphie Reed.

[peacetalksforall]

4. Huh? What's the difference between prosecutable laundering and

non-prosecutable laundering? Me uneducated.

[Cha]

5. Oh bathtub man..

we knew ye too well.

[mcscajun]

6. Somebody slip in his own damned bathtub?

Couldn't happen to a nicer bastard.

Fuck you, Grover.

[Generic Brad]

7. Ruined works for me

If he's not going to jail, this is the next best thing to karmic justice I can think of. At this point I'll take what I can get.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. ...but run over by a steam roller would be nice.

nt

[Generic Brad]

9. Thanks for the visual!

:puffpiece: