Inspector says IRS WITHELD info on targeting liberals

[Bill USA]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/18/irs-tea-party-hearing/2551339/

WASHINGTON — The federal investigator who concluded that the Internal Revenue Service inappropriately targeted Tea Party groups said Thursday the tax agency had failed to give him documents showing progressive groups were subjected to similar screenings.

J. Russell George, who serves as an IRS watchdog at the U.S. Treasury, told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that only last week did his office receive documents showing the term "progressive" was used to flag cases for additional review.

"The moment I became aware that other groups were spotlighted by the IRS, I directed my staff to commence review of that," George said.

"I am very disturbed that these documents were not provided to our auditors at the outset," he said. "They were not provided during our audit, even though similar documents that list 'Tea Party' … were."
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on the other hand, ThinkPRogress reported that:
Treasury Inspector General Blocked IRS From Releasing Documents That Show Agency Targeted Progressive Groups

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/07/17/2318421/treasury-inspector-general-blocked-irs-from-releasing-documents-that-show-agency-targeted-progressive-groups/?mobile=nc

The Inspector General conducting the investigation into the Internal Revenue Services’ improper targeting of conservative groups applying for 501 (c)(4) status is preventing the agency from turning over documents showing that progressive organizations were similarly subject to additional scrutiny, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said on Wednesday.

The allegations come as J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), prepares to explain why he never informed Congress that investigators found “no indication that pulling these selected applications was politically motivated” or that progressive groups were also targeted.

George will testify before the Committee on Thursday and will undoubtedly face questions about why he “personally intervened to block the IRS from turning over documents relating to progressive or left-leaning groups that received treatment similar to Tea Party applicants for tax exempt status,” the Committee’s minority staff said in a press release issued today.

That allegation came from Acting IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel on Wednesday, who testified that George asked the agency to withhold the documents, arguing that they would reveal information about specific tax payers, in violation of U.S. law. IRS career professionals had cleared the documents for release and the agency was preparing to send the information to Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA).

Since George issued his report, House Oversight Committee investigators discovered that IRS scrutiny of 501 (c)(4) groups was far more widespread than he had originally reported. A 2010 Power Point presentation instructing IRS officials how to handle sensitive cases and included words like “Tea Party,” “Patriots,” “9/12 Project,” and also “Progressive.” George had previously denied that the term “Progressive” was used in the screening process.
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[notadmblnd]

1. So which teabagging republican was it that made you look like an ass, Mr. Russel J. George?

Just who was it that put pressure on to to aid in the Right's manufactured scandal? Will you be so quick to jump through their flaming hoops in the future?

[Bill USA]

2. This get's very confusing. I added an excerpt from a ThinkProgress article saying George blocked the

IRS from releasing information showing liberal groups were targetted too. (see OP).

[notadmblnd]

3. But now he claiming that it wasn't provided?

Or did I read it wrong?

yeah, I read it wrong. Who is this IG?

[John2]

4. Maybe he is

trying to cover himself, because he gave updates to Issa on the progress of his investigation. Issa started the whole investigation and wanted a certain out come. This guy provided Issa with what he wanted and so did that woman that pleaded the fifth. She got the ball rolling in the media, with her claims and apology. Issa is up to his knees in this scam.

[Thor_MN]

5. So when are they going to acknowledge that the political bias involved was Issa's?

There is no doubting that the only bias involved is Issa trying to create a controversy by commissioning a biased investigation.