A conservative watchdog group filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of 25 tea party groups against the Internal Revenue Service and Obama administration officials, POLITICO reports. The complaint, filed by the American Center for Law and Justice, alleges that the Obama administration overstepped its authority and violated the First and Fifth amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It is the latest in the unfolding legal drama over the IRS' admitted targeting of tea party groups, a scandal that has already cost the acting head of the agency his job. "As this unconstitutional scheme continues even today, the only way to stop this flagrant and arrogant abuse of our clients' rights is to file a federal lawsuit," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ. "The lawsuit sends a very powerful message to the IRS and the Obama administration -- including the White House: Americans are not going to be bullied and intimidated by our government." The suit charges that IRS and Obama administration officials "unlawfully delayed and thereby effectively denied approval of Plaintiffs' application for tax exempt status" based "solely upon Plaintiffs' political viewpoints." The suit asks federal courts to stop any further IRS abuse or retaliation; the groups are also seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial.
