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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Famed 'Star Trek' producer Harve Bennett dies in Medford Jacksonville plans to buy more Lost Creek Lake water Dispose of agriculture pesticide waste for free Saturday in White City District considers options to keep school tracks open, safe Voter turnout at 29 percent for Jackson County pot tax Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, March 6 Arkansas man arrested for robbery in Medford Convicted rapist gets life without parole Learn to protect yourself in free class on identity theft Emergency services Politics and Elections Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Ashland: Budget increase, swimming pool funding discussion on council agenda Judge upholds Phoenix's moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out Friday Brown's inauguration brings hope to local lawmakers Education District considers options to keep school tracks open, safe Ashland School District learns why its anti-bullying rating was low Ashland district rethinks transfer approval process MSD to save taxpayers nearly $10.5 million by refinancing Medford schools superintendent gets high marks Environment Catastrophic wildfires expected in Southern Oregon this summer The new normal under climate change? Lost Creek Lake algae bloom subsides Lost Creek Lake logjam could become hazard for boaters Made in the Shade State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Eastern Oregon dig uncovers ancient stone tool Team tracks new baby orca Motor-voter bill sent to Gov. Brown Mother blames deputies, stun guns for son's death Nation - World Obituaries Robert Lee Bennett Paul Orvil Fallgreen Earl Dean King Gary Taylor Death Notices Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Mars One attracts science fiction geeks and people who hate society This $1 million Mercedes is like an armored private jet for the road Sports Latest Stories Rothfus leads St. Mary's into state semifinals Blazers downs Mavericks but lose guard Matthews No. 5 Arizona steamrolls Cal, 99-60 Moore is better for Bulls Manning reworks deal, will be back for Broncs Varsity 541 College Sports No. 5 Arizona steamrolls Cal, 99-60 SOU distance relay qualifies for NAIA finals Cougars hold off Ducks in tournament One step at a time Ducks have edge in Civil War victory Pro Sports Blazers downs Mavericks but lose guard Matthews Moore is better for Bulls Manning reworks deal, will be back for Broncs Holmes opens four-shot lead at WGC MLS ready to kick off its 20th season Community Sports Business Latest Stories Blog: A Few of Our Favorite Places New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Harry & David announces new president Ride & Drive: 2015 Chrysler 300 Real Estate News New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County People In Business People in Business: Feb. 28 People in Business People in Business Transportation CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Lodging gains bode well for travel industries Medford airport flies past January record Agriculture Harry & David announces new president Warm winter has fruit growers poised for action Briefcase: Business briefs for Feb. 21 Opinion Latest Philip Maddocks: Homeland Security is prepared to let its protection of Congress run out after this week Matthew T. Mangino: Pennsylvania officials battle over possibility of rare execution Our View: Cheers and Jeers Letters to the Editor, March 6 Michael Gerson: Negotiating from weakness Editorials Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our View: Take it slow on legal marijuana Our View: Small climate steps add up to big ones Our View: Drawing back the curtain on government Other Views: Brown's list of challenges is lengthy Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 6 Letters to the Editor, March 5 Letters to the Editor, March 4 Letters to the Editor, March 3 Letters to the Editor, March 2 Columns Philip Maddocks: Homeland Security is prepared to let its protection of Congress run out after this week Matthew T. Mangino: Pennsylvania officials battle over possibility of rare execution Michael Gerson: Negotiating from weakness George Will: Stopping the IRS Dana Milbank: Netanyahu's fighting words Guest Opinions GUEST OPINION: Police, community should work to prevent profiling Guest Opinion: Don't overregulate Oregon's hemp industry Guest Opinion: Predatory banking practices bilk citizens Guest Opinion: Is less education the answer? Guest Opinion: Bill would shore up legal aid funding Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Airy mousse rivals ease of pudding from a box Dr. Murray Feingold: Cognitive-behavioral therapy shown to help hoarders Dr. Jeff Hersh: Gallstones affect 25 percent of American women Barbara Presnell: How are you since your husband retired? Fishing Report: Friday, March 6 Food Community blog: Airy mousse rivals ease of pudding from a box Page Onorato: Please don’t take my Goo Goo Clusters away Season Stepp: Celebrate Pi Day with these tasty pie recipes Tammy Kelly: Bring back the potatoes Pantry pride Home and Garden Dear Monty: Home seller seeks to start bidding war Paul Rogers: Looking for signs of new life Home Help: Enhance your home-office experience Specialty painting adds wow to your walls Dear Monty: Home seller questions agent ethics Health Dr. Murray Feingold: Cognitive-behavioral therapy shown to help hoarders Dr. Jeff Hersh: Gallstones affect 25 percent of American women Health Watch: Get prepped for spring break HealthStyle: Marriage care and maintenance Community blog: How I Became Radical: The Power of Acceptance Hiking Biking Faith More religion events in the Rogue Valley Religion Briefs Religion briefs, Feb. 27 Religion briefs: Friday, Feb. 20 Religion News: Pope makes surprise shantytown visit Milestones and Achievements Engagement: Workman-Wright Anniversary: Hofer New arrivals: Sunday, Feb. 8 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Live Music in Local Clubs Darrin Wayne steps to the plate at Rising Stars Alice DiMicele plays the Unitarian Fellowship Southern Oregon University Wind Ensemble to present 'All American' Theater TMTO's 'Bye Bye Birdie' takes flight Brava! Opera presents classic Mozart and Poulenc Review: 'Fingersmith' a twisting thriller with love TMTO presents 'Bye Bye Birdie' 'Guys and Dolls' a sure bet for dazzling entertainment Music ZEPDRIX! at the Historic Ashland Armory The Bee Eaters play Headwaters Ladysmith Black Mambazo plays the Craterian Theater Live Music in Local Clubs Darrin Wayne steps to the plate at Rising Stars Community Events Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jesse Lawson and Joe Moxley host 'Barkeeper' Third Fridays showcases local artists Southern Oregon Rod and Custom Show Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Dining Sakura Japanese Sushi Restaurant opens in new location Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 1 Great Outdoor Grill offers healthful options Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 Saigon Xich Lo Vietnamese cuisine Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Jacksonville plans to buy more Lost Creek Lake water ... Dispose of agriculture pesticide waste for free Saturday in White City ... Voter turnout at 29 percent for Jackson County pot tax ... Jacksonville plans to buy more Lost Creek Lake water ... Dispose of agriculture pesticide waste for free Saturday in White City ... Voter turnout at 29 percent for Jackson County pot tax ... ANOTHER VIEW George Will: Stopping the IRS Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Rep. Peter Roskam is now chairman of the Ways and Means subcommittee whose jurisdiction includes oversight of the Internal Revenue Service, and hence of Lois Lerner's legacy. He knows how interesting her career was before she, as head of the IRS exempt-organizations division, directed the suppression of conservative advocacy groups by delaying and denying them the tax exempt status that was swiftly given to comparable liberal groups. In 2013, Roskam, in a televised committee hearing, told the story of Al Salvi, who in 1996 was the Republican's Senate candidate against then congressman, now senator, Dick Durbin. Democrats filed charges with the Federal Election Commission against Salvi's campaign, charges that threatened to dominate the campaign's final weeks. Salvi telephoned the head of the FEC's Enforcement Division, who he says told him: "Promise me you will never run for office again, and we'll drop this case." So said Lois Lerner. After Salvi lost, FBI agents visited his elderly mother, demanding to know, concerning her $2,000 contribution to her son's campaign, where she got "that kind of money." When a federal court held that the charges against Salvi were spurious, the FEC's losing lawyer was Lois Lerner. Roskam's telling of Salvi's story elicited no denial from Lerner. Neither did the retelling of it in this column (June 13, 2013). No wonder: The story had not been deemed newsworthy by the three broadcast networks' evening news programs, by The New York Times or The Washington Post. With most of the media uninterested in the use of government institutions to handicap conservatives, stonewalling would work. It still is working through dilatory and incomplete responses to subpoenas, and unresponsive answers to congressional questions. Lerner's name now has an indelible Nixonian stain, but there probably will be no prosecution. If the administration's stonewalling continues as the statute of limitations' clock ticks, Roskam says, "She will get away with it." Now in his fifth House term, Roskam, 53, says, "The advantage in this town is always with the entity that doesn't want to do anything." Many thousands of Lerner's emails that supposedly were irretrievably lost have been found, but not released. The Justice Department's investigation, which was entrusted to a political appointee who was a generous contributor to Barack Obama's campaign, is a stone in the stone wall. Roskam says the task now is "to see that Lois Lerner 2.0 is impossible." One place to begin is with the evidence — anecdotal but, in the context of proven IRS corruption, convincing — of other possibly punitive IRS behavior toward Republican contributors and other conservative activists. This justifies examining the IRS' audit selection process. This would produce interesting hearings for most of the media to ignore. Next, there should be hearings into the illegal disclosure of taxpayer information about conservative individuals and groups to the media and to liberal officials and groups. Cleta Mitchell, a lawyer for some groups abused by the IRS (and for this columnist on different matters), also suggests prohibiting IRS employees from joining a union. "The National Treasury Employees Union," she says, "provides no protection to IRS employees that federal statutes and the civil service system do not already provide. It already takes an act of God to hold an IRS employee accountable for his or her actions. But it is worse than merely redundant for IRS employees to belong to the NTEU. Because it adds nothing to its members' protections, it is a purely political organization. In 2014, fully 95 percent of its contributions went to Democrats, including 11 Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. So, the IRS employees' union dues finance the election of people who are supposed to scrutinize IRS' behavior." On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments about whether the IRS' lawlessness has extended to its role in implementing the Affordable Care Act. The act says that federal subsidies shall be distributed by the IRS to persons who buy insurance through exchanges "established by the state." The act's logic and legislative history, as well as a forceful statement by one of its architects, professor Jonathan Gruber of MIT, demonstrate that this clear language was written to "squeeze" — Gruber's word — the states into establishing exchanges. But when 34 states did not establish them, the IRS began disbursing billions of dollars through federal exchanges. The court probably will rule that the IRS acted contrary to law. If so, the IRS certainly will not have acted contrary to its pattern of corruption in the service of the current administration. George Will's email address is [email protected]. 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