The IRS Scandal, Day 854

Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial, Justice Department Needs to Hold IRS Accountable:

In March 2013, then-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder launched a criminal investigation into the actions of IRS employees — most notably Lois Lerner, then-director of the agency's Exempt Organizations Division — who deliberately delayed and denied nonprofit status to conservative political groups to diminish their influence on the 2012 election. Twenty-nine months later, Lerner has since stepped down, Loretta Lynch has since replaced Holder, and the Justice Department has yet to say much of anything about its investigation. Perhaps last week's revelation that Lerner used a second alias email account to do government business will speed things up.

The discovery is but the latest development from a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by Judicial Watch, which has been prodding the IRS to release Lerner's emails for more than two years and is seemingly the only entity interested in finding out what really happened.  ...

Even before this latest news, there seemed to be more than enough evidence to indict Lerner. She already had conceded that people within her division had carried out "absolutely inappropriate" actions. Shortly after news of the scandal broke, she invoked her right against self-incrimination by declining to testify in front Congress, and she then conveniently retired from her post.

If, however unlikely, Lerner herself is not part of a cover-up, a 2½-year investigation would seemingly clear that up. The longer this episode drags on, however, the more questions are raised, the more it seems there truly is something to hide, and the more likely it appears the Obama administration will do nothing about it.

It's important to remember why this scandal matters so much in the first place. This isn't just executive branch employees running roughshod over Americans' rights, which already happens too often to begin with. No, this is our nation's federal tax collection agency using taxpayer resources and its considerable powers to actively influence the outcome of national elections. ...

New Attorney General Lynch has had four months to move this investigation along. So far, however, all she seems intent on doing, like Mr. Holder before her, is moving the goalposts. Has she decided on her own to drag her feet? Or is she acting at the request of someone else? It's been 29 months since Mr. Holder's announcement. Is the Justice Department simply stalling until President Barack Obama is safely out of office?

Enough delays. It's time for the Justice Department to take action and hold the IRS accountable.

• The IRS Scandal, Day 853 (Sept. 9, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 852 (Sept. 8, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 851 (Sept. 7, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 850 (Sept. 6, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 849 (Sept. 5, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 848 (Sept. 4, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 847 (Sept. 3, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 846 (Sept. 2, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 845 (Sept. 1, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 844 (Aug. 31, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 843 (Aug. 30, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 842 (Aug. 29, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 841 (Aug. 28, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 840 (Aug. 27, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 839 (Aug. 26, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 838 (Aug. 25, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 837 (Aug. 24, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 836 (Aug. 23, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 835 (Aug. 22, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 834 (Aug. 21, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 833 (Aug. 20, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 832 (Aug. 19, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 831 (Aug. 18, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 830 (Aug. 17, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 829 (Aug. 16, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 828 (Aug. 15, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 827 (Aug. 14, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 826 (Aug. 13, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 825 (Aug. 12, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 824 (Aug. 11, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 823 (Aug. 10, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 822 (Aug. 9, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 821 (Aug. 8, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 820 (Aug. 7, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 819 (Aug. 6, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 818 (Aug. 5, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 817 (Aug. 4, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 816 (Aug. 3, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 815 (Aug. 2, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 814 (Aug. 1, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 813 (July 31, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 812 (July 30, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 811 (July 29, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 810 (July 28, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 809 (July 27, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 808 (July 26, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 807 (July 25, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 806 (July 24, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 805 (July 23, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 804 (July 22, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 803 (July 21, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 802 (July 20, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 801 (July 19, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 701-800 (April 10, 2015 - July 18, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 601-700 (Dec. 31, 2014 - April 9, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 501-600 (Sept. 22, 2014-Dec. 30, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 401-500 (June 14, 2014 - Sept. 21,2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 301-400 (Mar. 6, 2014 - June 13, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 201-300 (Nov. 26, 2013 - Mar. 5, 2014)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 101-200 (Aug. 18, 2013 - Nov. 25, 2013)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 1-100 (May 10, 2013 - Aug. 17, 2013)