Because they're Conservatives, Hello!
A top Republican lawmaker on Friday subpoenaed the Treasury Department for documents pertaining to the IRS targeting scandal, after accusing the head of the tax-collection agency of obstructing congressional investigations.
During a tense hearing on Capitol Hill held shortly before lawmakers headed out for summer recess, acting IRS chief Danny Werfel weathered tough questioning from Republicans including Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Issa claimed the IRS has been slow to produce documents, and that the documents it does produce are so thoroughly blacked out, they are useless to investigators.
“When you eliminate search terms unilaterally you are obstructing us by limiting the scope of discovery. Do you understand that, Mr. Werfel?” Issa said, complaining that the IRS had narrowed the date range for the requested documents.
That’s a chart compiled by NPR based on House Ways & Means Committee data about groups whose names put them on the IRS “be on the lookout” list while applying for tax-exempt status. Despite claims that all sorts of groups were targeted, this suggests that the Tea Party and “patriot” groups really took it on the chin. “The analysis is the closest so far to an objective numerical accounting of how the groups were treated by the IRS,” writes NPR, which also quotes Dems and Reps complaining about bias in the investigation.
Recall that back in May, President Obama – who has not been implicated in the scandal – called the IRS’ behavior “intolerable and inexcusable.” More recently – last week – he called it a “phony scandal.”
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