Watchdog ‘Disturbed’ IRS Withheld New Documents Showing Progressive Groups May Have Been Targeted
Last edited Thu Jul 18, 2013, 04:33 PM - Edit history (2)
Watchdog ‘Disturbed’ IRS Withheld New Documents Showing Progressive Groups May Have Been Targeted Too
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/watchdog-disturbed-irs-withheld-new-documents-showing-progressive-groups-may-have-been-targeted-too.php
The investigator who wrote a scathing report about the Internal Revenue Service targeting tea party groups says he is “disturbed” the agency withheld newly-released documents showing progressive groups may also have been singled out for additional scrutiny.
In prepared testimony, J. Russell George told a congressional panel Thursday the IRS did not provide the documents to his office during a yearlong audit. George said he just received the documents last week.
(snip)
George, however, said he first saw the documents last week.
“They were not provided during our audit, even though similar documents that list “Tea Party” but not “Progressive” were,” George said. “I am disturbed that these documents were not provided to our auditors at the outset, and we are currently reviewing this issue.”
Sam Stein
https://twitter.com/samsteinhp
Russell is getting close to saying his audit was not complete (blaming IRS for providing insufficient info) but isn't quite there
IRS inspector general: liberals also on target list
The inspector general who reported Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups said Thursday that he didn't have information until last week that the word "progressive" also was on a list of criteria for extra scrutiny of tax-exempt applications.
At a hearing of the House Oversight Committee, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George said the information that liberal groups also were likely targeted only came to him on July 9.
(snip)
Cummings and other Democrats took aim Thursday at past statements by Issa and other Republicans, calling them blatantly political accusations with no basis in fact that went against the spirit of Issa's call at the start of Thursday's hearing to "reject, categorically, assumptions for which there is not evidence."
Rep. Gerald Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, called for Issa to retract his earlier comments that the targeting only involved conservative groups and was an effort to target Obama's political enemies.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/18/politics/irs-scandal/index.html?hpt=po_c1
