The IRS Scandal, Day 923

Politico, Under the Radar:

President Barack Obama's public comments appearing to prejudge the outcome of Justice Department investigations don't affect the decisions in those inquiries, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday.

In her first appearance before the House Judiciary Committee since taking office in April, Lynch was questioned by panel chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) about remarks Obama made last year declaring there was "not even a smidgen of corruption" in the IRS's handling of applications from nonprofit groups and a statement the president made last month that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's private email set-up posed no national security problem.

"With respect to the president's comments, they have no influence or bearing on how the department manages these matters," Lynch said.

Goodlatte tried a couple of times to get Lynch to comment on whether it was unwise for Obama to make such comments while an investigation was pending, but she declined to do so.

"I really don’t have a comment on the president’s expression of his view," Lynch said.

Washington Examiner, Gowdy on IRS Probe: How Much More Evidence Could You Need?:

Rep. Trey Gowdy blasted the Justice Department for stating last month that there was "no evidence" of criminal intent in the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups.

"Never do you have direct evidence of intent," Gowdy, a former prosecutor, said during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday.

The South Carolina Republican cited numerous examples of "circumstantial evidence," all of which resulted in discrimination against Tea Party nonprofits, regardless of the tax agency's intent.

Gowdy noted Lois Lerner, former head of the IRS tax-exempt unit, had sent several emails that indicated she harbored a bias against conservatives.

Washington Examiner, Jordan Blasts Attorney General on IRS Investigation:

Rep. Jim Jordan pressed Attorney General Loretta Lynch Tuesday on why the head of the IRS has not faced consequences for misleading Congress about the status of documents.

"That sure looks like [IRS Commissioner] John Koskinen and the Internal Revenue Service concealed information and destroyed information," Jordan said after outlining a timeline that suggests employees under Koskinen deleted requested emails after he had promised to provide them to lawmakers.

The Ohio Republican noted IRS employees had erased back-up tapes containing the emails of Lois Lerner, former head of the tax agency's nonprofit unit, after receiving three separate preservation orders and two subpoenas for the tapes.

"With respect to the matter that you've raised, we did review the issues surrounding Ms. Lerner's emails and the backup tapes," Lynch told Jordan during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday. "We are looking for evidence of criminal intent."

• The IRS Scandal, Day 922 (Nov. 17, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 921 (Nov. 16, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 920 (Nov. 15, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 919 (Nov. 14, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 918 (Nov. 13, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 917 (Nov. 12, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 916 (Nov. 11, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 915 (Nov. 10, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 914 (Nov. 9, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 913 (Nov. 8, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 912 (Nov. 7, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 911 (Nov. 6, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 910 (Nov. 5, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 909 (Nov. 4, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 908 (Nov. 3, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 907 (Nov. 2, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 906 (Nov. 1, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 905 (Oct. 31, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 904 (Oct. 30, 2015)
• The IRS Scandal, Day 903 (Oct. 29, 2015)
• 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)