Yesterday at high noon the number of TEA Party members and some new unfamiliar faces exceeded the temperature that flirted with the familiar 100 degrees in front of the IRS building in Tucson. It was the prospect of having to give the government more taxes that spawned the TEA Party in 2010 and it is the abuse of power revealed by the IRS that appears to have revived the Tea Party.
Tuesday’s rally has awakened a new segment of the voting base, say organizers. They are hopeful that the IRS abuse is a wakeup call to people who have traditionally been politically inactive.
At the Phoenix rally, approximately 100 people waved signs and small American flags outside the IRS office. They joined Tea Party groups across the country in hastily organized protests.
In both Phoenix and Tucson, Tea Party members were greeted with passing cars blasting horns in a show of support.
Tea Party members in Tucson chanted, “We want a Special Prosecutor now.” Last week, Arizona congressman Matt Salmon called on Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a Special Counsel to fully and independently investigate the IRS targeting of the Administration’s political opponents and to prosecute to the fullest any perpetrators found guilty of abusing their government roles.
Salmon said in a statement released Wednesday, “The targeting of any political group by a government agency is unacceptable – if not criminal – and warrants further scrutiny by someone outside of the administration. Freedom of speech and thought are essential tenets of the American system of government. Unfortunately, this revelation that the IRS was targeting individuals and groups based on their political beliefs shakes the very foundation of our government and violates in a very real way their constitutional protections.”
Salmon said that the Obama “administration continues to break the trust of the American people by failing to provide honest answers. They can take a step towards restoring some trust by appointing a Special Counsel to fully, fairly, and without bias, or undue influence investigate this latest scandal.”
