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| Republicans seek to tie IRS scandal to White House in new hearings | Republicans seek to tie IRS scandal to White House in new hearings |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Republicans will this week seek to connect the White House with the growing scandal of the targeting of rightwing groups for tax inspections after IRS field officers told investigators their instructions "came from Washington". | Republicans will this week seek to connect the White House with the growing scandal of the targeting of rightwing groups for tax inspections after IRS field officers told investigators their instructions "came from Washington". |
| Three new hearings planned in Congress this week are expected to renew the spotlight on the IRS, which President Obama has admitted acted improperly by singling out Tea Party groups for extra financial scrutiny. | Three new hearings planned in Congress this week are expected to renew the spotlight on the IRS, which President Obama has admitted acted improperly by singling out Tea Party groups for extra financial scrutiny. |
| But administration claims that the actions were the result of rogue officers acting without authority in a local office in Cincinnati appear to be undermined by that fresh interviews released by the House oversight committee, which is investigating the affair. | But administration claims that the actions were the result of rogue officers acting without authority in a local office in Cincinnati appear to be undermined by that fresh interviews released by the House oversight committee, which is investigating the affair. |
| Though only partial, and at times hesitant, the transcripts that have been the released cast doubt on the notion of a rogue operation. | Though only partial, and at times hesitant, the transcripts that have been the released cast doubt on the notion of a rogue operation. |
| "It's impossible," said one IRS employee in Cincinnati interviewed by the committee. "As an agent we are controlled by many, many people. We have to submit many, many reports. So the chance of two agents being rogue and doing things like that could never happen." | "It's impossible," said one IRS employee in Cincinnati interviewed by the committee. "As an agent we are controlled by many, many people. We have to submit many, many reports. So the chance of two agents being rogue and doing things like that could never happen." |
| The employee claimed local staff had been "thrown under the bus" as scapegoats, suggesting the operation had been directed by IRS headquarters in Washington. | The employee claimed local staff had been "thrown under the bus" as scapegoats, suggesting the operation had been directed by IRS headquarters in Washington. |
| Q: So is it your perspective that ultimately the responsible parties for the decisions that were reported by the IG are not in the Cincinnati office? | Q: So is it your perspective that ultimately the responsible parties for the decisions that were reported by the IG are not in the Cincinnati office? |
| A: I don't know how to answer that question. I mean, from an agent standpoint, we didn't do anything wrong. We followed directions based on other people telling us what to do. | A: I don't know how to answer that question. I mean, from an agent standpoint, we didn't do anything wrong. We followed directions based on other people telling us what to do. |
| Q: And you ultimately followed directions from Washington; is that correct? | Q: And you ultimately followed directions from Washington; is that correct? |
| A: If direction had come down from Washington, yes. | A: If direction had come down from Washington, yes. |
| Q: But with respect to the particular scrutiny that was given to Tea Party applications, those directions emanated from Washington; is that right? | Q: But with respect to the particular scrutiny that was given to Tea Party applications, those directions emanated from Washington; is that right? |
| A: I believe so. | A: I believe so. |
| Though far from proven, the alleged link to more senior government employees is encouraging Republicans to push the notion that there was a political aspect to the IRS harassment of Tea Party groups. | Though far from proven, the alleged link to more senior government employees is encouraging Republicans to push the notion that there was a political aspect to the IRS harassment of Tea Party groups. |
| "Too many people knew that this wrongdoing was going on before the election and at least by some sort of convenient benign neglect allowed it to go on through the election – allowed these conservative groups to be disenfranchised during an election," Darrell Issa, chairman of the oversight committee told CNN on Sunday. | "Too many people knew that this wrongdoing was going on before the election and at least by some sort of convenient benign neglect allowed it to go on through the election – allowed these conservative groups to be disenfranchised during an election," Darrell Issa, chairman of the oversight committee told CNN on Sunday. |
| "I am not making any allegations about motive, but certainly people knew it was happening, they could have done something, and would have done something, I'm sure, if these had been progressive groups or groups that supported the president." | "I am not making any allegations about motive, but certainly people knew it was happening, they could have done something, and would have done something, I'm sure, if these had been progressive groups or groups that supported the president." |
| Later on Monday, the House government subcommittee will hear evidence from the interim head of the IRS Daniel Werfel and the inspector general for tax J Russell George. | |
| Issa's oversight committee is also holding a hearing on Thursday to examine whether the IRS has also been guilty of overly-lavish spending – investigating the cost of conferences held by the agency. | Issa's oversight committee is also holding a hearing on Thursday to examine whether the IRS has also been guilty of overly-lavish spending – investigating the cost of conferences held by the agency. |
| Democrats have accused Congressional leaders of seeking to exploit the IRS scandal without hard evidence of any links higher up the chain, but Issa insists he is not alleging a conspiracy merely trying to highlight cultural bias and a lapse in oversight. | Democrats have accused Congressional leaders of seeking to exploit the IRS scandal without hard evidence of any links higher up the chain, but Issa insists he is not alleging a conspiracy merely trying to highlight cultural bias and a lapse in oversight. |
| "We have never tried to tie things to the president, to cabinet officers, we have tried to get transparency," he said. | "We have never tried to tie things to the president, to cabinet officers, we have tried to get transparency," he said. |
| "This administration does not seem to be able to control the various branches of government." | "This administration does not seem to be able to control the various branches of government." |
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