CWR contributor believes the IRS may have targeted her for articles on Obamacare, Democrats

Franciscan University sociology professor and frequent Catholic World Report contributor Anne Hendershott believes she may have been part of the growing scandal over the IRS and its targeting conservative groups. Hendershott told the conservative website The Blaze that during an audit in 2010 the IRS demanded to know who was paying her for her freelance journalism work and “what their politics were.”

From The Blaze:

Hendershott noted it was particularly surprising that she, alone, was audited. Her husband, who brings in the vast majority of the family’s income, was not included in the IRS’s inquiry — even though the Hendershotts always [file] jointly. …

While asking about the deposits, the agent wanted to know if the monies came from groups and, if so, what the organizations’ politics were.

The mention of groups, Hendershott notes, is particularly interesting, as she had been writing for numerous Catholic outlets and organizations at the time. In addition to Catholic World Report and the Catholic Advocate, she also penned op-eds for the Wall Street Journal. Many of these writings were critical of President Barack Obama and his policies.

The Blaze article notes that Hendershott wrote several pieces critical of the liberal group Catholics United and its founder, Chris Korzen. Two such articles appeared in the print edition of Catholic World Report, “The Big Con” (August/September 2009) and “The Big Con Continues” (November 2010). Those pieces highlighted efforts of Korzen and the various Catholic organizations with which he was affiliated in the 2008 election and in the push to pass the Affordable Care Act. A follow-up piece, “The Catholic Con Continues,” was published on the CWR website in August 2012 and detailed the funding and politicking of liberal Catholic organizations ahead of that year’s presidential election.

From The Blaze:

Hendershott can’t help but wonder if her writings against progressive groups played a role in her audit. It’s obvious that before she was notified by the IRS she was commenting regularly about matters of faith and politics and, in particular, Obamacare. While she doesn’t have proof that the IRS investigation was political in nature, she has strong suspicions that it was.

“I started writing articles like crazy saying these are fake Catholic groups,” she said of the aforementioned organizations, noting that Korzen would often target her work and rail against her assertions.

Hendershott noted that the progressive leader once called into a radio show she appeared on to challenge her contention that he had accepted Soros money.

“I had the tax return in front of me and read off the amounts that Chris Korzen was getting paid from Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good — a Soros supported fake Catholic group,” she told TheBlaze, noting that, through Catholics in Alliance, he had received $85,000.

While Korzen denied this on the air, Hendershott read from the 990 form in an effort to prove he wasn’t telling the truth. This, she believes, may have sparked — or played a role — in spawning the IRS audit.