The IRS Scandal, Day 903

The Maddow Blog (MSNBC), GOP Begins Impeachment Process, But Not Against Obama:

For years, congressional Republicans have been very excited about the prospect of impeaching President Obama. At various times, GOP lawmakers have also considered impeaching then-Attorney General Eric Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. Last week, one Republican congressman said he’s eager to impeach Hillary Clinton, and she hasn’t even won yet.

In each instance, far-right members of Congress have struggled to explain why, exactly, any of these officials actually deserve to be impeached, and Republicans never took their efforts beyond the rhetorical stage.

Yesterday’s actions, however, represent an escalation.

House Republicans filed papers Tuesday to begin impeachment proceedings against IRS Commissioner John Koskinen over the agency’s alleged campaign to revoke the tax-exempt status of tea party-affiliated groups.

The resolution – filed by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and 18 other members of the committee – accuses Koskinen of lying to Congress about agency emails that were found to be missing.

Just on the surface, it’s alarming that too many Republicans look at Congress’ impeachment power as if it were some kind of toy, to be pulled off the shelf and played with whenever it offers opportunities for entertainment.

But what’s also striking about this is the GOP lawmakers’ sense of timing. It was late last week that the Justice Department completed a lengthy and rigorous investigation into the imaginary IRS “scandal,” concluding that no laws were broken and no charges would be filed.

It’s against this backdrop that House Republicans have decided to pursue impeachment against the IRS commissioner who not only did nothing wrong, but who wasn’t even at the IRS at the time of the institution’s alleged misdeeds. ...

That doesn’t change the fact that this partisan tantrum is indefensible. Koskinen took on the job of improving the IRS out of a sense of duty – the president asked this veteran public official to tackle a thankless task, and Koskinen reluctantly agreed. For his trouble, Republicans want to impeach him, for reasons even they can’t rationalize.

It’s ridiculous, even by the low standards of this Congress.

• Breitbart, Krauthammer: Effort to Impeach IRS Chief ‘Waste of Time,’ Everything GOP Has Touched ‘Failed or Backfired’
• Government Executive, Administration Stands Behind IRS Chief Amid Calls for His Impeachment
• Salon, Jason Chaffetz’s Latest Wild Goose Chase: House GOP Files Impeachment Articles Against IRS Commissioner
• Talking Points Memo, Krauthammer: IRS Impeachment Will Just Backfire On House Republicans
• Town Hall, Democrats Defend IRS Commissioner, Slam Impeachment Resolution

• The IRS Scandal, Day 902 (Oct. 28, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 901 (Oct. 27, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Days 801-900 (July 19, 2015 - Oct. 26, 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)