DID WHITE HOUSE ILLEGALLY OBTAIN TAX INFORMATION?

The attorney for the group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is asking the White House some serious questions about how AFP's tax status was allegedly obtained and disseminated in an on-the-record phone briefing regarding corporate taxes. During that briefing, the tax status of AFP appears to have been discussed. The lead counsel for Koch Industries - the parent company of AFP - is very concerned about the potentially unlawful conduct on the part of the White House.

Here is the relevant excerpt of the briefing that addresses AFP's tax status. Via the Weekly Standard:

So in this country we have partnerships, we have S corps, we have LLCs, we have a series of entities that do not pay corporate income tax. Some of which are really giant firms, you know Koch Industries is a multibillion dollar businesses. So that creates a narrower base because we've literally got something like 50 percent of the business income in the U.S. is going to businesses that don't pay any corporate income tax. They point out [in the report] you could review the boundary between corporate and non-corporate taxation as a way to broaden the base.

Once again, transparency appears to be an issue with this White House. If the tax status of Koch was obtained legally, one would think that the White House would be prompt in its response to inquiries about this briefing and requests for a transcript. So far, those requests have fallen on deaf ears.

THE WEEKLY STANDARD asked White House press office officials in an email on Friday to verify the quotation's accuracy, but 72 hours later they have not replied. A White House press aide reached this morning on the phone said she would look into whether a transcript of the call exists. The aide has not yet responded.

If nothing to hide, the White House should be immediately forthcoming with this information.

Obama has singled out AFP by name in the past. It sounds like they would be considered a political enemy of the Obama administration. That would also make them a target for some Alinsky-style tactics.

This might just be another investigation-worthy incident for Darrell Issa to add to his list should the Republicans win control of the House in November.

h/t to Gateway Pundit