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Outrage grows at IRS 'targeting' of conservative groups Outrage grows at IRS 'targeting' of conservative groups
(34 minutes later)
The outrage over reports the US tax collection authority singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny has continued to build.The outrage over reports the US tax collection authority singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny has continued to build.
Three Congressional panels are planning hearings into actions by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).Three Congressional panels are planning hearings into actions by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The agency's commissioner on Tuesday acknowledged "mistakes" before the 2012 election but denied political bias.The agency's commissioner on Tuesday acknowledged "mistakes" before the 2012 election but denied political bias.
A senior Republican Congressman said the agency had gone after President Barack Obama's "political enemies".A senior Republican Congressman said the agency had gone after President Barack Obama's "political enemies".
"This was a targeting of the president's political enemies, effectively, and lies about it during the election year so that it wasn't discovered until afterwards," Darrell Issa, chairman of the House oversight committee, said on Tuesday on CBS television."This was a targeting of the president's political enemies, effectively, and lies about it during the election year so that it wasn't discovered until afterwards," Darrell Issa, chairman of the House oversight committee, said on Tuesday on CBS television.
Also on Tuesday, two high-profile Republican governors called for Mr Obama to fire any IRS employees responsible for the actions and to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate whether any laws were broken.Also on Tuesday, two high-profile Republican governors called for Mr Obama to fire any IRS employees responsible for the actions and to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate whether any laws were broken.
"This is big brother come to life and a witch hunt to prevent Americans from exercising their first amendment [free speech] rights," Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Scott Walker of Wisconsin wrote."This is big brother come to life and a witch hunt to prevent Americans from exercising their first amendment [free speech] rights," Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Scott Walker of Wisconsin wrote.
For his part, President Barack Obama on Monday denounced the actions, calling them "outrageous" and saying US taxpayers had to have confidence the tax agency worked in a non-partisan fashion. Mr Obama's spokesman Jay Carney said the White House was awaiting the expected released this week of a treasury department inspector general's report before taking any action.
A report on the matter from the US treasury department's inspector general is expected this week. Mr Carney said the White House was notified of the forthcoming report in late April but did not know the details of the findings.
He said he could categorically rule out that anyone in the White House or on the Obama political team had knowledge of the targeting or was involved in it.
For his part, Mr Obama on Monday denounced the actions, calling them "outrageous" and saying US taxpayers had to have confidence the tax agency worked in a non-partisan fashion.
The number of groups filing with the IRS for tax-exempt status shot up between 2010-12, after a Supreme Court decision loosened restrictions on campaign spending by groups not formally affiliated with candidates' campaigns.The number of groups filing with the IRS for tax-exempt status shot up between 2010-12, after a Supreme Court decision loosened restrictions on campaign spending by groups not formally affiliated with candidates' campaigns.
Ahead of the 2012 presidential election, conservative groups complained to the IRS and to members of Congress that their applications for tax-exempt status were being held up and had received undue scrutiny.Ahead of the 2012 presidential election, conservative groups complained to the IRS and to members of Congress that their applications for tax-exempt status were being held up and had received undue scrutiny.
Some groups have said they were asked to provide lists of donors and volunteers, statements of their activities, and lists of legislators they had contacted.Some groups have said they were asked to provide lists of donors and volunteers, statements of their activities, and lists of legislators they had contacted.
While the head of the IRS tax-exempt division has said the "absolutely inappropriate" actions were limited to the agency's branch office in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday additional queries to conservative groups came from the Washington office and at least two other branch offices.While the head of the IRS tax-exempt division has said the "absolutely inappropriate" actions were limited to the agency's branch office in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday additional queries to conservative groups came from the Washington office and at least two other branch offices.
In an opinion piece in USA Today published on Tuesday, IRS Commissioner Steven Miller acknowledged the agency had made mistakes but insisted "they were in no way due to any political or partisan motivation".In an opinion piece in USA Today published on Tuesday, IRS Commissioner Steven Miller acknowledged the agency had made mistakes but insisted "they were in no way due to any political or partisan motivation".
He wrote the agency had made mistakes in its process for handling the influx of applications, including "a shortcut taken in our processes to determine which groups needed additional review".He wrote the agency had made mistakes in its process for handling the influx of applications, including "a shortcut taken in our processes to determine which groups needed additional review".
The House Ways and Means committee will hold a hearing on Friday, in which Mr Miller is expected to testify. The Senate finance and investigations committees have said they will hold hearings after reading the inspector general's report.The House Ways and Means committee will hold a hearing on Friday, in which Mr Miller is expected to testify. The Senate finance and investigations committees have said they will hold hearings after reading the inspector general's report.