franklin graham, son of billy graham, said his relief organization, samaritans purse and the billy graham evangelistic association were both audited after the association sponsored newspaper ads opposing gay marriage. graham called the irs action morally wrong and unethical. but the groups did not lose their tax exempt status. the founder of focus of the family, james dobson, said he also faced discrimination when he sought tax exempt status for a new ministry. his request was also eventually granted. >>> a breakthrough in cloning human embryos is raising new ethical concerns. employing the same technique used to clone animals, scientists at oregon health and science university for the first time were able to remove stem cells from a cloned human embryo. those cells could be used to treat certain diseases. boston cardinal sean o'malley, the head of the u.s. conference of catholic bishop's pro-life committee, was critical of the research, saying it treated human beings as "products." >>> minnesota has joined the growing number of states that recognize same-sex marriage. it is the third sta

going back to gretch be's point about billy graham's ministries being targeted, his son, franklin, who, wrote a letter to the president of the united states and said this: while these audits of the graham organization not only wasted taxpayer money, they wasted money contributed by donors for ministry purposes as we had to spend precious resources servicing the irs agents in our offices, i believe someone in the administration was targeting and attempting to intimidate us. this is morally wrong and unethical. indeed, some would call it unamerican. i understand the irs review started last october after billy graham ministries in newspaper ads in north carolina backed the same sex constitutional amendment, banning it, which passed. >> gretchen: that's unbelievable when i heard this yesterday. that was unbelievable that they had targeted billy graham. and what about not to mention using the ministry dollars to go to the irs. will these people be reimbursed? will these -- >> steve: that's great question. >> gretchen: it's really expensive when you're audited to go up against the irs. it's

then the billy graham association was incorporated in minneapolis.e had moved our office from minneapolis to charlotte, north carolina. we decided to open up a north carolina corporation and file for tax exempt status. normally something like that would be five, six, maybe nine months at the most. it took 14 months. and we had]-2 nine different followups with the irs asking them do they need more information. what is the status. they said it was waiting for someone to look at it. there is no reason for 14 months. so when all of this news broke i just started wondering if maybe the irs is targeting christian groups. since we have spoken up there has been a number of other christian organizations that have come forward saying we have been auditted, as well. i don't know. i have asked the president to look into it because if they are targeting us because of our conservative religious believes i think it is wrong. i believe the bible to be god's word from cover to cover. and i believe it to be true. jesus the way, the truth, the life. i want to stand by

the fact that's investigated the billy graham association. seriously? billy graham?eanest man in more than life and if he is suspect, none of us have a chance. and it's those outrageous stories and the stories of people like we're having on our show, a lady -- it wasn't just the irs, it was other federal agencies that were piled on her and her husband's business. they can't get them off their doorstep. >> neil: gets to be a pileup. one of the things we talked about, watergate, it was expected to be a very -- just ao anywhere. wasn't anything there, and as you know, it ensued through the summer and the following year and leading to the -- you know know what you're going to get or the conflicting testimony or someone whose recollection is different than others and, boom. >> this is not going to be a beheading. a death of a thousand cuts. the great example of a blockbuster revelation this more than when we confirmed what i infewtively knew to be true, the little incident last week with lois learner was staged. a calibrated attempt to stage a question in order to let her

. >> greta: and billy graham. >> billy graham. pro-israel people.d to do with our beliefs, political and religious beliefs. >> greta: is it a conspiracy or a -- >> there's conclusions we don't have answers to yet. we know that the head of the tax exempt had given donations, $2,000 in donations, to president obama. the overwhelming number of donations went to president obama from people that were within the irs. i think even more importantly, the suspicion is that this really came from the white house, the political director. we don't know that. that's what we have to find out. >> greta: tonight is there any sort of hard-core evidence, you know, even good circumstantial evidence? >> well, that's what we're about to find out, why we need to ask questions, need access to witnesses and emails. all of this needs to come forward. this is not a one-day story. this is something that's very critical, because of what's going to happen tomorrow. tomorrow is the repeal of obamacare. that's my bill. the american people want this very unpopular bill repealed beca

according to religion news service biblical recorder a baptist news and billy graham organization wasted back in 2012 and catholic league says it was targeted after the 2008 election. at the time the irs claimed that intervened in the political campaign. the catholics united education fund claims it languished for years before the registration was approved. and chris voices for life says it was delayed in its application for tax exempt status back if 2011. other groups have cited issues and delays with the irs. lawmakers steven miller the retiring and acting irs commissioner. >> this is problem that the irs being too large too powerful too inintrusive and too abusive of honest hard working taxpayers. >> he couldn't remember all the names involved he did apologize for the actions of the irs. >> commissioner i want to apologize on behalf of the irs for the mistakes we made and the poor service that we employed. affected organizations and american public deserve better. >> reporter: now kelly as you mentioned they will have a full house hearing on weed and we expect to hear from the offi

. >> on the one hand we go after christian groups like billy graham's group franklin graham's group, then we're hands off when it comes to possibly offending someone who has been radicalized as a terrorist. >> let me say this. you have made statements as meters of fact -- >> you point out one thing that i said that was not -- >> you don't know what the fbi did. you don't know what the fbi's interaction was with the russians. you don't know what questions were put to the russians whether those questions were responded to. you simply do not know that and you have characterized the fbi as being not thorough, or taking exception to my characterization of being thorough. i know what the fbi did. you cannot know what i know. that's all. >> michael: man was he good today. gohmert was back on his boot spurs a bit, and then started whining about character assassination. >> when you attack somebody's integrity and say they make statements that were not true, then of course that raises a point of personal privilege, but the attorney general failed to answer my question -- >> gentlemen -- >> gen

are hearing that they may have been targeting religious groups, like the catholic league and the billy graham evangelistic association. what gives with that? why would they investigate faith-based groups? >> those are questions we have to answer. faith-based groups, jewish groups. i think we are going to see other groups coming forward with evidence of intimidation by the ir s. was this was a blatant abuse of power. secondly, the irs repeatedly failed to answer questions, was misleading in their responses to us in both written form as well as previous hearings we had on oversight. we saw unbelievable contempt on the part of the acting commission or friday, contempt for congress and the american people. >> let's talk about that. steven miller, he didn't come there with the answers, although he did apologize for the actions, saying, quote, the irs made mistakes and made poor service in his apology. but is that enough? do we have to go farther and deeper than just an apology? >> this is too important to simply accept an apology or a couple of resignations. we have to get to the bottom of this. w

they were targeting religious groups, the billy graham organization, pro-israel groups. this is a complete, complete den graduation of the first amendment. and i will just say this -- every scandal comes back to one thing we're talking about, protecting president obama's power. benghazi is important and the a.p. scandal is important because it's both about national security and how they wanted to control the story line on national security and how -- >> what would you tell him to say if you're his senior adviser? >> tell everything you've got on this but the only caveat is it does threaten national security and put it all out and say, here's what you've been looking for. i wish we would stop calling the a.p. thing a scandal. the scandal is releasing information on national security that endangered the lives of american citizens. >> stay on the irs. >> fine. >> dana,you've been in that spot. what do you tell president obama? >> well, i'm not a lawyer. and i think he's going to need very good legal advice right now. but he also has to think about this collapse of the confi

groups were also singled out by the allegation, including the ministry founded by the reverend billy graham's not at all. larry conners claims the internal revenue service unfairly targeting him because of an interview he did with obama last year. he wrote on his facebook beige, quote, shortly after i did my april 2012 interview with president obama, my wife, friends, some viewers, suggested i might to watch out for the irs. i don't accept conspiracy there's but i do know almost immediately after the interview the irs started hammering me. here's a clip of mr. conners' interview with the president. >> some viewers are frustrated, even angered, when they see the first family jetting around, certain vacations and so forth, maybe under color of state business, that you're out of touch, that you don't know what they're experiencing right now. >> i don't -- i don't know how many viewers you're talking about that say that. >> sean: joining me with reaction, author michelle malkin is with us," culture of corruption." i've been telling you, part two, it's time. let me ask you this question, because

organization or religious group, franklin graham, reverend franklin graham said they were audited and billy graham. i'm talking to people all day long peculiar things are happening. >> the irs is a powerful entity in our government and interfaces directly with the taxpayer. there can be no tolerance for abuse and this is what we've seen. >> we've had tolerance the past years. and i'm asking begging you congressman, step it up. step up the pressure on the irs. it's not hurting me but i'm seeing the people it is hurting and this isn't right. we have to stop sending let speakers waiting for them to respond and expect they will all of a sudden change their way. we have to make them do their jobs right and fair. >> that's what we are going to do. we aren't going to stop. >> friday is a big day. thanks, sir. >> great tore but. >> it's not only the tea party and conservative groups, tonight new accusations by the irs that they are always scrutinizing some religion us organizations and organizations relating to israel. we spoke with the leader one of those groups, lori are z street. nice to see you. >> ni

last night franklin graham sent a letter on behalf of his father, the reverend billy graham, saying after their christian organizations ran ads in favor of traditional marriage, last october the irs audited bot both of them while dozens of liberal groups were approved while conservative groups waited. one example, one receiving tax exempt status about a questionable charity set up by the president's half-brother, with some asking for a counsel to investigate, they're gathering their own facts. >> nothing the administration does is going to derail a thoroughly detailed investigation by the congress of the united states. >> fox news has learned the acting irs commissioner steven miller will not plead the fifth in upcoming congressional hearings. meanwhile nevada republican senator dean heller has proposed a bill that would prohibit any funding for obamacare going to the irs. the president's budget requests $440 million for the irs to enforce the healthcare law. bret? >> mike, is there any sense that the president, in just a matter of moments a as we look live at the east room in the white h

the esteemable louie gomert cautioned that the -- >> we go after christian groups like billy graham's group. we go after franklin graham's group. then we're hands off when it comes to possibly offending someone who has been radicalized as a terrorist. and i appreciate the comment, there were people concerned about possible profiling. but i would submit, attorney general, there were a lot more people in america concerned about being blown up by terrorists. >> as you can see there, professor peterson, mr. gomert's head was about to explode by the color of it. do you think these congressmen are taking the opportunity to ask real questions? because i have to say, this seemed more like a 19th century fairground game of coconut shy where members could throw anything at the head of the attorney general. >> well, there's going to be quite a bit of political grand standing because of the confluence of these three so-called scandals around the administration right now. this hearing had already been scheduled to speak about whatever intelligence was available to the government agencies prior to

but when you read that among those groups was billy graham's group, who was audited in ptember before the election, and at the same time before, there was legislation pending on same sex marriage, which obviously billy graham and those of his followers are enormously conservative, is deeply troubling and extremely un-american. listen, at a minimum, we may be democrats and republicans, we may be liberals and conserve tives, but what we cherish is the laws of the land, and we cherish the u.s. constitution and our freedoms. and if it's turned out that there was an organized effort to use the i.r.s. to restrain public opinion by targeting specific individuals with audits, that is just absolutely un-american and unacceptable. host: michael, stay on the line for one moment, if you will, and let's share what the president had to say about the i.r.s.. he said the report's findings are intolerable and inexcusable. this comes from president obama. the federal government must conduct itself in a way that's worthy of the public trust and that's especially true for the i.r.s. is that strong enough

his name is franklin graham, the son of the reverend billy graham. he claims the billy graham evangelical association and samaritan purse, the i.r.s. notified them in september it was conducted a -- quote -- "review of their activities for tax year 2010." he goes on to say by the way that this review happened after mr. graham's organization published newspaper ads in north carolina backing a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. that's in the news. here's another -- that was from "politico". i'm just reporting different out lets what they're reporting. this is another report that has been out there. i think i alluded to this yesterday in my speech. this talk about how the same i.r.s. office that deliberately tafrgted conservative groups -- targeted groups applying for tax exempt status in the run up to the 2012 election released nine pending applications of conservative groups to propublica late last year. i think this is propublica admitting this is where they got the information from. this is in response for the applications to

yesterday it was reported that the agency may have gone after a ministry founded by billy graham. we also learned that the very same i.r.s. office that admitted to harassing conservative groups also released nine spending applications for tax-exempt status to the liberal group propublica. how did we find out? propublica revealed it. basically all we've gotten from the i.r.s., on the other hand, is an attempt to scapegoat some folks out in cincinnati and a laughable attempt to move past this whole issue wary dick includes -- with a ridiculous op-ed claiming -- quote -- "mistakes were made." most folks don't think that ignoring the constitution is simply a mistake. i like the fact that one group the i.r.s. targeted when asked by the agency to provide reading materials related to their mission simply mailed them a copy of the constitution. and today i'd like to encourage every group that feels like it's been unjustly targeted to do the same thing. maybe just underline the first amendment before you put it in the envelope because that's what this is all about. but getting back to the

billy graham's group was looked into. this particular problem came out of the baltimore office of the i.r.s. it appears to be growing. >>brian: try to follow this. evidently the administration's policy with the west bank in israel is to get the settlers out. they want the settlers out. so there is this group, "the new york times" reported this in 2010, that applied for tax-exempt status and they were actually donating to west bank settlement. that is not good if you want to bring middle east peace from the obama perspective to that area. that's get the israelis out into israel proper. these people were put through hoops as the american government said i don't want your organization supported. i don't want them green lighted. the american treasury was giving them problems. >>steve: the question is were people at the i.r.s. saying that the state department doesn't want settlements in israel. z street is trying to build settlements, so let's crack down on them. was that happening? let's hope not. >>gretchen: the interesting

go after christian groups like billy graham's group, we go after franklin graham said group. but they were hands-off when it comes to offending someone who has been radicalized as a terrorist. i appreciate the comment. there we will concerned about possible profiling. i will submit attorney general that there were a lot more people in america concerned about being blown up by terrorists. i regret my time has expired. >> let me say this. you made statements of matters of fact. >> you point out one thing that i -- >> the time has expired. >> i would ask he said i said something as fact that he doesn't believe was. i would like to know specifically what it was that -- >> the gentleman from texas should suspend because the attorney general has the opportunity to answer the question once he has completed the question, the region one has a point of personal progress, he can exercise it. like the oxidation i was would make affect -- >> used is a matter fact with the fbi did did or not do. i'm let's summon has done something inappropriate, you do not have access to the fbi files. you

list of people including billy graham and john wayne. he said why are our friends getting audited?kind of threw gasoline op the fire by saying this is outrageous. i will do everything i can. >> he kind of has to say that in order to tap it down because it gets out of control. >> still they're doing this for a reason because they're abusing -- >> stephanie: well, yeah. that's all i'm saying. put things in context in history. would you like some fun facts? >> sure. >> stephanie: the i.r.s. targeted liberals -- they make it sound like this has ever happened before. it is outrageous. >> in the history of ever. >> stephanie: groups were not targeted -- the groups -- they were saying worth noting in this particular case, groups were not targeted in the political vendetta but were executing a makeshift enforcement separating political groups not allowed to claim tax-exempt status from bona fide social welfare organizations. employees are given zero official guidance on how to do that. by the way they might have more official guidance had they had a director. why didn't they, chris? >> bec

what about billy graham?t the pro-israeli organizations who also say that they were targeted? could it really be mid-level bureaucrats would dream up this idea to target tea party? could it really be that steven miller on friday couldn't remember any names of the people who told him to potentially do this? i mean, that was the most offensive speech. we all know from being an employee anywhere that when you do a certain action, you remember who told you to do it. >>steve: whoever dreamed up this idea, you know, today, that person is haunted by the fact that they sent dan pfeiffer, senior advisor to the president. they put him on five sunday shows like they did with susan rice and his performance was atrocious. we've got a couple of sound bites to play. here he is talking about the i.r.s. scandal where he talks about how the law is irrelevant. >> the law here -- the law is irrelevant. the activity was inexcusable and it was stopped. it needs to be fixed to ensure it never happens again. >>brian: on benghazi, he

also factor in a jewish group was scrutinized as well as billy graham's religious group. >>steve: here's the problem for anybody in the administration who went before congress and said we don't know about any targeting because eric holder yesterday announced there would be perhaps criminal charges against anybody who broke the law, here's the president last night 6:20. he's angry. >> it's inexcusable and americans are rights to be angry about it, and i am angry about it. i will not tolerate this kind of behavior in any agency, but especially in the i.r.s. >>gretchen: here's the thing. steve miller did not make these decisions. he wasn't even there. it was douglas shulman who was in charge of the i.r.s. he's not in the job anymore. so is this a fall guy. the second most important point i think is these low-level employees at the i.r.s., the underlings, so to speak, are they really not going to say who told them to do that if they're facing criminal charges like civil rights violations and a vital of the hatch act, which bars federal workers from some partisan political act

billy graham association. catholics united, educat fund. christian voices for life.tart to do something for our coun when we do just theosite, we are going to make you suffer becausu are religious or happens to be in the n administration, maybe because are liberal, that is bad. because we need these organizations to get down and help people that are most in need. religion, when it is gion properly lived, ms us better people and makes us a stronger country. >> alisyn: father john, great to see you this morn >>> coming up on the show, $590 million, someones richer. the winning power tt was sold in florida time to get all fired up. master of the barbecue ready to share his bestips and recipes. we can smell it. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ help the gulf recover, and learn from what happened so we could be a better, safer energy company. i've been with bp for 24 years. i was part of the team that helped deliver on our commitments to the gulf - and i can tell you, safety is at the heart of everything we do. weddedve added cutting-edge fey d uipment and technology, like a new de

look, when people like the billy graham association are questioned, give me a break.al deal so we are going to do a little investigating here. this is, i believe, this is one of the most outrageous assaults freedom i have seen. trying not to be hyperbo lick hard not to be when you see not just the abuse but the defense of it it i use these terms the contemptuous belligerent arrogance that he set there with and smirked toward these congressman and when asked a question well, i have to refer to my notes. oh you have notes? i don't know if i have notes or not. come on. so even charlie rangel, partisan democrat who hasn't paid his own taxes in the past. >> he has had his shares of difficulties with the irs. >> yes, he has. >> even he was offended by. this given that you can believe that one of the irs officials in charge during this scandal has been promoted over 100 grand in bonuses but then promoted to run the irs part of obama care? >> why the heck not? >> come on. >> let's reward people on the basis of their incompetence and prove the peter prem principle that people

billy is in lindsey graham's district. hello, billy. >> caller: good morning, stephanie. he first ran. and he did campaign photos with his sister and kids to do family photos with. >> stephanie: really? >> caller: interesting. >> stephanie: confirmed bachelor. my stars and garters. >> caller: apparently mr. mccain is jealous. >> stephanie: all right. billy thank you, honey. this incredible story we have been following all morning out of cleveland. every once in a while there is a huge national story. i saw it on oprah winfrey show years ago. they have been missing for ten years -- again, and kidnapped separately. it was over the course of i believe four years -- >> yep. and there was no pattern, no rhyme or season just randomly kidnapped over four years. >> and then the neighbor who we love -- who i want to date and kiss and marry is hilarious and was able to break them out of there and called 911 and obviously knew -- she said i have been on the news. i have been missing for ten years. they obviously watched news reports about themselves during their captivity. one of the

on the one hand we go after christian groups like billy graham's group, we go after franklin graham's group, but then we're hands-off when it comes to possibly offending someone who has been radicalized as a terrorist and i appreciate ms. chu's comment, there were people concerned about possible profiling, but i would submit, attorney general, there were a lot more people in america concerned about being blown up by terrorists and i regret very much my time has expired. >> let me just say. this you've made statements as matters of fact. >> you point out one thing that i said that was not true. >> the gentleman's time has expired. the attorney general may -- >> mr. chairman, i would ask a point of personal privilege. he said i said something is fact that he doesn't believe was. i'd like to know specifically what it was so that i -- >> regular order, mr. chairman. >> the gentleman from texas should suspend because the attorney general has the opportunity to answer the question. once he's completed the question, if the gentleman has a point of personal privilege he can exercise it but at

already had it were audited and extensively during the same period of time 2010, 2011, 2012, billy gram, franklin grahamaid that too. >> he said in opening statement, miller did, that we made mistakes and then he admitted to abuses. but he said we made mistakes. and he said, look, it was 2010. we were getting influx of applications to be this tax exempt organization called a 501 c 4. we had to have some way of dealing with all of them. i want to point this out because there is another piece of this, jay. we were getting a lot of complaints about said organizations and whether or not they really were political and that's what the irs said. i have got it right here in the i.g. report and their response to the ig. they said we also received numerous referrals from the public media watchdog groups and members of congress. alleging the specific section a 01 c 4 organizations were engaged in political activity. i ask you to what extent do we look to in particular on the democratic side of the aisle who are trying to light a fire under the irs to go after these groups. >> chuck schumer, al-franken asked for th

franklin graham says the reverend billy gram happens organizations got audited after running ads on traditionalo congress also. he said it wasn't just misleading it was flat outlying. we've heard some suggestions that there will be criminal prosecutions to come out of this i.r.s. matter. you've heard mr. miller choose his words carefully, suggesting that he didn't know about some of the stuff that was going on, that he answered the questions truthfully, but republicans are looking nor who gav for who gave the order, who said let's go after these groups and shut them down. so far miller hasn't given them that. they continue pushing. you've heard democrats sound angry as well because they realize next time it could be an administration that says, let's go after the liberal groups. let's shut them down, and so some anger on both sides for a variety of reasons, bill. martha: mike, it's martha. you know, when you look at the history of the congressional appearances that have happened here in these hearings, mr. miller testified in july, july 25th of 2012 and then prior to that the former commissione