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USA Today Network Dan Horn, The Cincinnati Enquirer Published 11:07 p.m. ET May 16, 2017 | Updated 11:07 p.m. ET May 16, 2017

A judge has ruled that there was a 'strong showing' the IRS had a bias against Tea Party groups. USA TODAY

Lois Lerner, former Exempt Organizations Director at the IRS(Photo: Enquirer file)

CINCINNATI The Cincinnati Enquirerasked a federal judge Tuesday to open a secret court hearing about Tea Party bias claims against the IRS, arguing the media and the public have a vested interest in the proceedings.

"The First Amendment protects the press's right to gather news," wrote Jack Greiner, The Enquirer'slawyer. "Given the nature of these proceedings, any decision by this court to prevent public access will add to the suspicion and mistrust already raised by the allegations."

Mistrust is at the heart of the Tea Party's case against the IRS, which is accused of singling out conservative-leaning public interest groups for extra attention while reviewing applications for tax-exempt status.

A civil lawsuit brought by several of those Tea Party-affiliated groups is now before Judge Michael Barrett in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati. The judge, however, has kept some court filings secret and has closed a hearing scheduled for Friday.

House blocks Freedom Caucus move to impeach IRS chief before adjourning

Judge to IRS: Strong showing on Tea Party bias claim

He's done so at the urging of Lois Lerner and Holly Paz, IRS officials who oversaw the applications in the IRS' nonprofit division, which is based in Cincinnati.

Lerner and Paz both say their lives are in danger if they testify publicly about the handling of the groups' applications. They say they have been harassed and received death threats when their roles at the IRS first were disclosed several years ago.

The two women recently provided the judge with documentation, which was not made public, containing "graphic, profane and disturbing language" from people they say have threatened them.

Lawyers for the Tea Party groups say the public's right to know outweighs any concerns raised by Lerner and Paz.

The Enquirerasked Barrett, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, for permission to intervene in the case to argue for an open hearing.

"Allowing (Lerner and Paz) to keep these judicial records secret would not only deprive The Enquirerof its ability to report on the conduct of the litigation, but also deny the public its ability to assess for itself the merits of judicial decisions," Greiner wrote.

The lawsuit against the IRS is one of several filed in 2013 after the agency acknowledged it had singled out some groups for special attention. A Senate subcommittee reached the same conclusion in 2014, but found no evidence of political bias.

Applications for some liberal-leaning groups also were delayed, but about 80% of groups affected were conservative.

Lerner, the agency's former exempt organization director, resigned over the scandal and Paz was reassigned. Paz has previously said the nonprofit division was overwhelmed by applications from conservative groups and employees struggled with how to respond.

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'Cincinnati Enquirer' sues to open secret Tea Party hearing - USA TODAY

By Chelsea Groomer | cgroomer@waxahachietx.com

WAXAHACHIE Community members can dress up and discover inner beauty through a sip of tea and strands of pearls at the third annual The Beauty in Me Tea Party this weekend.

Hosted by SWAGG Programs, a foster care nonprofit, the vintage tea party is meant to mentor young ladies in their personal confidence, while also serving as a gathering to celebrate femininity in style.

The girls get all dressed up and fancy in their gloves, hats, purses, and pearls, and we just have a nice tea party for them, explained Nikeesia Ranson, founder and CEO of SWAGG Programs.

We talk about self-esteem, and its really just to explore the beauty thats inside of them, she described. We identify characteristics about themselves and others that allow them to feel confident and boost their self-esteem to pull out all the good thats inside of them.

Held at the Avenue Church, Ranson invites girls within the community, ages six and up, to attend the classy celebration.

Weve opened it up to others because we talk to our girls about using their social skills and its one activity that gives them the opportunity to do that, Ranson articulated. So any grandparent raising grandchildren, or any relative thats raising younger girls, or any girls that are out there in foster care or a homely situation that needs a boost of confidence - get all dressed up and come on."

With Chick-Fil-A and Subway sponsoring the event, fresh baked cookies and tasty hors doeuvres will be provided, along with guest speakers speaking on grace and self-confidence.

We ask for all the girls to come out and just have a nice fancy time, Ranson encouraged. Were going to talk about the origin of the pearl, and the girls get a strand of pearls. We'll also talk about fashion and how to decorate. We'll give fashion tips, and the girls will get a little goodie bag with a lot of little fun things in them."

From style tips to games, and a variety of teas to sample, the free event is sure to be an enjoyable time together.

We hope that each girl leaves feeling more confident about themselves, and realizing the beauty God has already placed inside of them, and let it shine in our community, homes, and anywhere they go, Ranson finished.

The Beauty in Me Tea Party will be held at the Avenue Church, located at 1761 US Highway 77 in Waxahachie, on Saturday, May 20 from 11:30 a.m. 1 p.m. Attendants must register online at swaggprograms.com/events. For more information email swaggprograms@gmail.com or call (214)-463-3971.

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Chelsea Groomer, @ChelseaGroomer

(469)-517-1450

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Young ladies with SWAGG: Third annual 'The Beauty in Me' tea party scheduled for Saturday - Waxahachie Daily Light

A group of conservative and liberal activists are challenging an Ohio law that they say puts unfair restrictions on free speech.

WKSUs Phil de Oliveira reports the group is suing the state over ambiguities in the law.

The Internet and free speech

The plaintiffs are the liberal blog Plunderbund, freelance political reporter John Spinelli, and the Portage County Tea Party.

Theyre taking issue with a clause in H.B. 151 that prohibits anyone from intentionally abusing, threatening or harassing someone else on the Internet.

Tea Party spokesman Tom Zawistowski says the clause is too broad and too vague. He says politicians could easily claim theyre being harassed when groups like the Tea Party criticize them.

If youre in public office, you need to be accountable for your actions, Zawistowski says. We, as citizens, hold you accountable and we must be able to say what we think about your performance.

Zawistowski says the law goes too far in limiting free speech for the sake of safety.

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Ohio's Tea Party and Liberals Join Forces to Challenge an Internet Free Speech State Law - WKSU News

A confluence of tea party members will rally against the current tax burden and the specter of hikes Sunday outside the state Capitol in Hartford.

Organizers of the protest, which is scheduled for 1 p.m., are billing it as Tax Freedom Day.

Tax Freedom Daythe point in the year at which average taxpayers have earned enough to pay their burden to the government is a perfect time to call for real change in Connecticut, said Bob MacGuffie, a tea party leader from Fairfield and spokesman for the rally. No state reaches Tax Freedom Day later than we do and every year it gets worse. We gather at the Capitol to tell our leaders that we cant continue to spend and tax we must change direction in Connecticut.

The lineup of speakers for the rally includes former Bridgeport City Council member Enrique Rick Torres and Scott Wilson, president of the 23,000-member Connecticut Citizens Defense League.

Neil Vigdor

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Tea party tax protest planned Sunday outside Capitol - CT Post

When the self-styled Freedom Caucus killed dozens of bills last week in what became known as the Mothers Day Massacre, the damage wasnt immediately apparent to most observors. Turns out that among the scuttled legislation was a must-pass measure to keep some state agencies open.

The maneuver left tea party-aligned Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick with tremendous leverage over the more moderate House Speaker Joe Straus. The House now must rely on Patricks Senate to pass the legislation keeping some state agencies operating. Patrick told Straus Wednesday he would hold hostage that key bill unless the House passed legislation popular among social and fiscal conservatives, including the transgender bathroom bill.

They thought we were idiots, state Rep. Stickland, R-Bedford, told me, referring to himself and other member of the House Freedom Caucus a dozen strong.

But, Stickland said, thanks to the Freedom Caucus strategic gambit, I was now witnessing the end of the regime.

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How Jonathan Stickland and the tea party outmaneuvered Joe Straus - Austin American-Statesman