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| FBI launches investigation into targeting of conservative groups by IRS | FBI launches investigation into targeting of conservative groups by IRS |
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| The FBI has launched a criminal investigation into whether the Internal Revenue Service broke the law when it targeted conservative groups, the US attorney general, Eric Holder, said on Tuesday. | The FBI has launched a criminal investigation into whether the Internal Revenue Service broke the law when it targeted conservative groups, the US attorney general, Eric Holder, said on Tuesday. |
| The involvement of the FBI will help ease some of the pressure on the Obama administration, which is taking considerable heat, especially from Republican members of Congress, over the affair. | The involvement of the FBI will help ease some of the pressure on the Obama administration, which is taking considerable heat, especially from Republican members of Congress, over the affair. |
| Holder, speaking at a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, said he had ordered the FBI investigation into allegations that the IRS scrutinised in more detail Tea Party-style groups applying for tax exemptions. | Holder, speaking at a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, said he had ordered the FBI investigation into allegations that the IRS scrutinised in more detail Tea Party-style groups applying for tax exemptions. |
| Initially, the scandal had been confined to the IRS office in Cincinnati – but it has now expanded to include Washington. Republicans are seeking to establish whether there is any link between the IRS behaviour in question and senior figures in the White House. By involving the FBI, the Obama administration can now argue that it is doing everything it can to be as open and thorough as possible. | Initially, the scandal had been confined to the IRS office in Cincinnati – but it has now expanded to include Washington. Republicans are seeking to establish whether there is any link between the IRS behaviour in question and senior figures in the White House. By involving the FBI, the Obama administration can now argue that it is doing everything it can to be as open and thorough as possible. |
| Holder said: "The FBI is coordinating with the Justice Department to see if any laws were broken in connection with those matters related to the IRS. We are examining the facts to see if there were criminal violations." | Holder said: "The FBI is coordinating with the Justice Department to see if any laws were broken in connection with those matters related to the IRS. We are examining the facts to see if there were criminal violations." |
| Holder's announcement came a day before the inspector general of the IRS was due to release his audit of the scandal. The White House press secretary, Jay Carney, used the imminent publication of the audit to deflect questions at the daily briefing, saying Barack Obama had to await its findings before offering a verdict. | Holder's announcement came a day before the inspector general of the IRS was due to release his audit of the scandal. The White House press secretary, Jay Carney, used the imminent publication of the audit to deflect questions at the daily briefing, saying Barack Obama had to await its findings before offering a verdict. |
| According to a leaked copy of the inspector general's report CNN said it obtained from a Congressional source, the IRS deliberately targeted Tea Party groups, delayed their applications for tax exempt status and asked them for unnecessary information. | According to a leaked copy of the inspector general's report CNN said it obtained from a Congressional source, the IRS deliberately targeted Tea Party groups, delayed their applications for tax exempt status and asked them for unnecessary information. |
| In reply to Republican assertions that the IRS scrutiny was politically-motivated, Carney said neither Obama nor anyone else at the White House had been aware of the brewing scandal. The inspector general had no obligation to inform the White House until publication of the audit was imminent, Carney said, adding that the White House had been told in April. A potentially stormy congressional hearing over the IRS scandal has been scheduled for Friday, as both Democrats and Republicans look for heads to roll over alleged targeting of conservative groups. It emerged on Tuesday that senior members of the IRS had known about the scandal far longer than it had admitted on Friday. The likelihood of at least one or more resignations is growing as more details emerge, with senators such as the Republican Marco Rubio calling for the heads of senior officials. | In reply to Republican assertions that the IRS scrutiny was politically-motivated, Carney said neither Obama nor anyone else at the White House had been aware of the brewing scandal. The inspector general had no obligation to inform the White House until publication of the audit was imminent, Carney said, adding that the White House had been told in April. A potentially stormy congressional hearing over the IRS scandal has been scheduled for Friday, as both Democrats and Republicans look for heads to roll over alleged targeting of conservative groups. It emerged on Tuesday that senior members of the IRS had known about the scandal far longer than it had admitted on Friday. The likelihood of at least one or more resignations is growing as more details emerge, with senators such as the Republican Marco Rubio calling for the heads of senior officials. |
| Senior members of congress expressed outrage that the IRS had not disclosed the scandal when testifying on Capitol Hill last year. Asked if the officials had lied, the senior ranking Democrat on the House ways and means committee, Sandy Levin, said that if they had only learned about the scandal after the hearing, as they claim, the officials had an obligation to come back to inform the committee. | Senior members of congress expressed outrage that the IRS had not disclosed the scandal when testifying on Capitol Hill last year. Asked if the officials had lied, the senior ranking Democrat on the House ways and means committee, Sandy Levin, said that if they had only learned about the scandal after the hearing, as they claim, the officials had an obligation to come back to inform the committee. |
| The IRS apologised on Friday for singling out conservative groups but since then it has emerged that the practice was not confined to one office in Cincinnati, as was originally suggested. Steven Miller, the acting IRS head, was briefed about the scandal as far back as 3 May 2012, but he failed to inform Congress when he testified at a hearing on 25 July. | The IRS apologised on Friday for singling out conservative groups but since then it has emerged that the practice was not confined to one office in Cincinnati, as was originally suggested. Steven Miller, the acting IRS head, was briefed about the scandal as far back as 3 May 2012, but he failed to inform Congress when he testified at a hearing on 25 July. |
| The Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, speaking from the chamber on Tuesday, said: "We've only started to scratch the surface." He called on Obama to make available, completely and without restriction, everyone who can answer questions as to what was going on at the IRS. | The Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, speaking from the chamber on Tuesday, said: "We've only started to scratch the surface." He called on Obama to make available, completely and without restriction, everyone who can answer questions as to what was going on at the IRS. |
| McConnell said: "What we don't know at this point is whether it jumped the fence from the IRS to the White House. But we do know this: we can't count on the administration to be forthcoming about the details of this scandal – because so far they've been anything but. | McConnell said: "What we don't know at this point is whether it jumped the fence from the IRS to the White House. But we do know this: we can't count on the administration to be forthcoming about the details of this scandal – because so far they've been anything but. |
| "Despite repeated assurances from the Obama administration that it was not targeting its political enemies through the IRS during the last election cycle, we've now learned that the IRS was in fact singling out conservative groups – groups who dared to speak up and express their first amendment rights." | "Despite repeated assurances from the Obama administration that it was not targeting its political enemies through the IRS during the last election cycle, we've now learned that the IRS was in fact singling out conservative groups – groups who dared to speak up and express their first amendment rights." |
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