The Internal Revenue Service has revoked the tax-exemption for a conservative charity, saying the group’s criticism of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry violated rules against political activity.
The Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty engaged in "deliberate and consistent intervention in political campaigns," according to the IRS decision released Friday and first reported by USA Today.
The IRS said the group’s tax-exemption would be revoked as of July 1 unless the decision is successfully appealed.
Tax-exempt groups are restricted from engaging in certain political activity, including participating in partisan campaigns in support or opposition to a candidate.
The IRS said the Patrick Henry Center violated this rule, in part, by publishing "alerts" on its website that highlighted columns by its president, former FBI official and longtime Clinton critic Gary Aldrich.
In one column cited by the IRS that appeared to be published by Townhall on April 2, 2004, Aldrich wrote "if John Kerry promises otherwise ill-informed swing-voters lower gas prices at the pump, more than a few greedy, registered ignoramuses will follow him anywhere."
The IRS also took issue with what it said was a Patrick Henry Center fundraising letter, which appeared to draw from an April 13, 2005 Townhall column written by Aldrich entitled "Stop Hillary now!"
"There may not be a South Lawn barbecue party for Conservative political activists who work to keep Hillary from power – but they will march forth with a passion because they know the country will be better off without Hillary in the White House," said the column.
Aldrich published a salacious 1998 book on his time in the Clinton White House called Unlimited Access.
The IRS came under fire last year after it admitted to targeting Tea Party and other conservative non-profits for special scrutiny.
Aldrich and the Patrick Henry Center did not immediately respond to requests for comment.