IRS Scrutiny Extended Beyond Tea Party Groups

Organizations that "criticize how the country is run" also carefully inspected

Washington (CNN) — The Internal Revenue Service targeted other groups focused on government spending and the federal debt that were seeking tax-exempt status, in addition to tea party organizations, documents set to be released this week by the agency's watchdog show.

The IRS also applied extra scrutiny to applicants with statements that "criticize how the country is run" or that sought to educate the public on how to "make America a better place to live"—designations that would have included conservative political groups looking to apply for 501(c)(4) status.