Judicial Watch sues IRS for records on possible targeting of J6 protesters

Judicial Watch said Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the IRS over possible targeting of Jan. 6th protesters.

The watchdog group group filed the Freedom of Information Act suit on April 25 to obtain records regarding potentially improper targeting of Jan. 6th Capitol rioters, their supporters, and related nonprofits.

The IRS didn't respond to a FOIA request filed Jan. 22, which sought records of IRS officials, such as former Commissioner Daniel Werfel, acting Commissioner Douglas O’Donnell, and Chief Tax Compliance Officer Heather Maloy regarding President Trump or his pardons of the rioters and records about plans for audits of the rioters, their supporters, and related nonprofits.

Judicial Watch cited an NPR report from January 2024 that noted, "Democratic Congress members are calling for the IRS to scrutinize a nonprofit that supports defendants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and has close ties to the Trump campaign."

The article mentioned that the nonprofit, the Patriot Freedom Project, "provides financial help to January 6 defendants and describes them as, quote, 'political prisoners.'"

“The IRS has a demonstrated record, as proven by Judicial Watch, of abusing taxpayers at the behest of politicians,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement. “The IRS obviously has the January 6 documents – so, why the cover-up!”