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Paul L. Caron
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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

The IRS Scandal, Day 327

IRS Logo 2In a stunning bipartisan agreement, President Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chair Darrell Issa and Ranking Member Elijah Cummings committed to aggressively pursue investigations into the IRS's targeting of conservative groups in advance of the 2012 presidential election.

President Obama: 

I have now had the opportunity to review the Treasury Department watchdog’s report on its investigation of IRS personnel who improperly targeted conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.  And the report’s findings are intolerable and inexcusable.  The federal government must conduct itself in a way that’s worthy of the public’s trust, and that’s especially true for the IRS.  The IRS must apply the law in a fair and impartial way, and its employees must act with utmost integrity.  This report shows that some of its employees failed that test. 

I’ve directed Secretary Lew to hold those responsible for these failures accountable, and to make sure that each of the Inspector General’s recommendations are implemented quickly, so that such conduct never happens again.  But regardless of how this conduct was allowed to take place, the bottom line is, it was wrong.  Public service is a solemn privilege.  I expect everyone who serves in the federal government to hold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards.  So do the American people.  And as President, I intend to make sure our public servants live up to those standards every day.

Attorney General Holder:  I understand why the American public might question the impartiality of the DOJ's investigation headed by Barbara Bosserman in light of her political contributions to both of President Obama's campaigns.  I have thus rescinded her appointment and appointed one of the few DOJ attorneys who did not donate to President Obama's campaigns to lead the investigation.

IRS Commissioner Koskinen:  Inspired by the example of my predecessor Randolph Thrower who died on March 8, I commit to complying fully and completely with the investigation by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.  As the first step, the IRS will not take "years" to supply Lois Lerner's emails to the committee but instead will turn them over by April 15.

Chairman Issa:  I deeply regret cutting off the microphone of my dear friend Elijah Cummings at our last hearing and I promise to include him as a full and equal partner in all future committee actions in this matter.

Ranking Member Cummings:   This is one of the most alarming abuses of government power that I have ever seen.  I’m very concerned about it, we gotta get to the bottom of it, and by the way … we gotta do it in a bipartisan way.

For details of the agreement, see here.

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2014/04/the-irs-scandal.html

IRS Scandal, Tax | Permalink

Comments

No doubt, surf dude.

Posted by: Ritchie | Apr 1, 2014 4:12:09 PM

April fools?

Posted by: surf dude | Apr 1, 2014 8:22:11 AM