Saturday, May 11, 2013

AP Exclusive: Federal watchdog: Senior IRS officials knew agents targeted tea party groups for scrutiny

◼ Senior Internal Revenue Service officials knew agents were targeting tea party groups as early as 2011, according to a draft of an inspector general's report obtained by The Associated Press that seemingly contradicts public statements by the IRS commissioner. - AP

The IRS apologized Friday for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status. The agency blamed low-level employees, saying no high-level officials were aware.

But on June 29, 2011, Lois G. Lerner, who heads the IRS division that oversees tax-exempt organizations, learned at a meeting that groups were being targeted, according to the watchdog's report. At the meeting, she was told that groups with "Tea Party," ''Patriot" or "9/12 Project" in their names were being flagged for additional and often burdensome scrutiny, the report says.

The 9-12 Project is a group started by conservative TV personality Glenn Beck.

Lerner instructed agents to change the criteria for flagging groups "immediately," the report says.

◼ IRS Conservative Witchhunt Started In 2011 With High-Level Officials Involved - Tyler Durden/Zerohedge
The IRS conservative targeting scandal is going from bad to worse.
◼ UPDATE: IRS also targeted Jewish groups... - Kevin Williamson/National Review
◼ AP shocker: Senior IRS officials knew conservative groups were being targeted - Twitchy

Would you believe the revelation yesterday that “low-level employees” at the IRS were targeting Tea Party groups isn’t the end of the story? The Associated Press is reporting today that that admission precedes the release next week of the results of a year-long investigation showing that senior officials have been aware of the agency’s flagging of conservative groups since 2011.



◼ IRS anti-Tea Party scandal gets real — senior IRS officials aware of targeting - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion

◼ How IRS targeting of Tea Party groups was exposed - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion



◼ As IRS admits it targeted Tea Party groups, remember IRS is Obamacare enforcer - Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion

◼ Breaking: Senior IRS officials knew of targeting conservative groups in 2011; Update: IRS chief counsel knew in 2011 - Ed Morrissey/HotAir

Yesterday, the IRS claimed that this only happened in one office in just 2012, and that only lower-level officials were involved. This report from the Associated Press refutes both of those claims — and adds yet another damning example to a growing list of misleading and false statements from the Obama administration.

◼ IRS SCANDAL EXPANDS: It now appears that this is one more scandal that the Obama administration managed to keep quiet until after November’s election. One wonders how many more skeletons will come tumbling out of the closet, now that Obama is safely re-elected. - John Hinderaker/Powerline

◼ Update: Hey, here’s a good question:



Remember how much Harry Reid was mouthing off about tax returns? Did the White House feed him some inside information, or did the IRS?

◼ Sarah Palin: ‘Same Corrupt IRS’ That Targeted Conservatives ‘Will Be In Charge Of Enforcing Obamacare’ - Noah Rothman/Merdiaite
◼ Meet the IRS Team in Charge of Exempt Organization Reviews - J. Christian Adams/PJM

◼ OBAMA'S SIGNATURE MOVE: UNSEALING PRIVATE RECORDS
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