Traditional Marriage Group Sues IRS Alleging Illegal Release of Tax Returns To Opponents

Earlier this month, the National Organization for Marriage-- an organization whose purpose is to protect traditional marriage and the faith organizations that support it-- announced that it has filed suit against the Internal Revenue Service over the alleged illegal release of its 2008 confidential tax return to ideological opponents. The complaint (full text) in National Organization For Marriage, Inc. v. U.S. Internal Revenue Service, (ED VA, filed 10/3/2013) alleges:

In March 2012, individuals employed by the IRS ... disclosed NOM's confidential ... 2008 IRS Fonn 990, Schedule B, which contains the names, home addresses, and contribution amounts of NOM's 2008 donors, to one or more third parties, including NOM's ideological opponent, the Human Rights Campaign....  On information and belief, the individuals from the IRS chose to make this disclosure ... specifically intending that those third parties would widely publish the information.... NOM's confidential return information was subsequently published on the Internet by third parties, including HRC and the Huffington Post ... making it available to millions of people. These disclosures are part of a deliberate attempt to chill the First Amendment activity of NOM, its donors, and others who associate with NOM.

The complaint seeks damages and injunctive relief.