Irs scandal: what we know
President Obama tells Fox News' Bill Orielly that there is not even a 'smidgen' of corruption regarding the IRS contraversy targeting conservative
groups
In October of 2010 an IRS agent in the Determinations Unit emailed concerns to the technical unit that conservative501(c)4 groups were being unfairly targeted through searches such as 'Tea Party', Patriot or 9/12 project.
In November he emailed again after getting no response and practice did not stop. In June of 2011 Lois Lerner The Director of Determinations Unit at the IRS learns of this and says the practice needs to stop.
In May of 2012, IRS Deputy commissioner Steven Miller was told about the targeting of conservative groups through 'Tea Party' and other searches.
On July 25th, when testifying at a congressional hearing regarding the matter, he somehow failed to mention this when responding to concerns from a congressman that certain 501(c)4 groups in his district felt they were being harassed.
groups
In October of 2010 an IRS agent in the Determinations Unit emailed concerns to the technical unit that conservative501(c)4 groups were being unfairly targeted through searches such as 'Tea Party', Patriot or 9/12 project.
In November he emailed again after getting no response and practice did not stop. In June of 2011 Lois Lerner The Director of Determinations Unit at the IRS learns of this and says the practice needs to stop.
In May of 2012, IRS Deputy commissioner Steven Miller was told about the targeting of conservative groups through 'Tea Party' and other searches.
On July 25th, when testifying at a congressional hearing regarding the matter, he somehow failed to mention this when responding to concerns from a congressman that certain 501(c)4 groups in his district felt they were being harassed.
Lois Lerner Pleads the 5th
New Light Shed on why lois lerner is refusing to answer questions
So far Lois Lerner is refusing to answer any questions. She plead the 5th on March 5th, 2014, and on May 22, 2013. Chairman of the House Oversight Committe, Darrel Issa, has released a list of seven questions that he was going to ask Mrs. Lerner as some interesting facts that preceed the questions such as quotes from Mrs. Lerner, email exchanges, and testmony from others in the IRS.
1. In October 2010, Lerner told a Duke University group: “The Supreme
Court dealt a huge blow, overturning a 100-year-old precedent that basically
corporations couldn’t give directly to political campaigns. And everyone is up
in arms because they don’t like it. The Federal Election Commission can’t do
anything about it. They want the IRS to fix the problem.”
Who exactly wanted the IRS to “fix the problem” caused by Citizens United?
2. In February 2011, Lerner e-mailed her colleagues in the IRS: “Tea Party Matter very
dangerous. This could be the vehicle to go to court on the issue of whether
Citizens United overturning the ban on corporate spending applies to tax-exempt
rules. Counsel and Judy Kindell need to be in on this one please. Cincy should
probably NOT have these cases.”
Why did Lerner think the Tea Party cases were “very dangerous”?
3. In September 2010, Lerner e-mailed subordinates about
initiating a “c4 project,” but wrote: “we need to be cautious so it isn’t a per
se political project.”
Why was Lerner worried about this being perceived as a political project?
4. Michael Seto, manager of EO Technical in Washington, testified that you ordered Tea Party cases to undergo a “multi-tier
review.” He testified: “[Lerner] sent me email saying that when these cases
need to go through multi-tier review and they will eventually have to go to Miss
Kindell and the chief counsel’s office.”
Why did Lerner order the Tea Party cases to undergo a “multi-tier review”?
5. In June 2011, Lerner requested that Holly Paz obtain a copy of the tax-exempt application filed by
Crossroads GPS so that her senior technical advisor, Judy Kindell, could review
it and summarize the issues for Lerner.
Why did Lerner want to have the Crossroads GPS application?
6. In June 2012, Lerner was part of an
e-mail exchange about writing new regulations on political speech for 501(c)(4)
groups “off-plan” in 2013.
Doesn’t this “off-plan” effort from 2012 contradict Administration assertions that new regulations were written in response to the 2013 TIGTA report?
7. In February 2014, President Obama stated that there was not a “smidgeon of corruption” in the IRS targeting.
If this is true, why do House Democrats believe that Lois Lerner has a well-founded fear of criminal prosecution that allows her to claim the Fifth Amendment in refusing to testify?
To this date Obama has not backed of his statements that there has not been a "smidgeon of corruption at the IRS.
1. In October 2010, Lerner told a Duke University group: “The Supreme
Court dealt a huge blow, overturning a 100-year-old precedent that basically
corporations couldn’t give directly to political campaigns. And everyone is up
in arms because they don’t like it. The Federal Election Commission can’t do
anything about it. They want the IRS to fix the problem.”
Who exactly wanted the IRS to “fix the problem” caused by Citizens United?
2. In February 2011, Lerner e-mailed her colleagues in the IRS: “Tea Party Matter very
dangerous. This could be the vehicle to go to court on the issue of whether
Citizens United overturning the ban on corporate spending applies to tax-exempt
rules. Counsel and Judy Kindell need to be in on this one please. Cincy should
probably NOT have these cases.”
Why did Lerner think the Tea Party cases were “very dangerous”?
3. In September 2010, Lerner e-mailed subordinates about
initiating a “c4 project,” but wrote: “we need to be cautious so it isn’t a per
se political project.”
Why was Lerner worried about this being perceived as a political project?
4. Michael Seto, manager of EO Technical in Washington, testified that you ordered Tea Party cases to undergo a “multi-tier
review.” He testified: “[Lerner] sent me email saying that when these cases
need to go through multi-tier review and they will eventually have to go to Miss
Kindell and the chief counsel’s office.”
Why did Lerner order the Tea Party cases to undergo a “multi-tier review”?
5. In June 2011, Lerner requested that Holly Paz obtain a copy of the tax-exempt application filed by
Crossroads GPS so that her senior technical advisor, Judy Kindell, could review
it and summarize the issues for Lerner.
Why did Lerner want to have the Crossroads GPS application?
6. In June 2012, Lerner was part of an
e-mail exchange about writing new regulations on political speech for 501(c)(4)
groups “off-plan” in 2013.
Doesn’t this “off-plan” effort from 2012 contradict Administration assertions that new regulations were written in response to the 2013 TIGTA report?
7. In February 2014, President Obama stated that there was not a “smidgeon of corruption” in the IRS targeting.
If this is true, why do House Democrats believe that Lois Lerner has a well-founded fear of criminal prosecution that allows her to claim the Fifth Amendment in refusing to testify?
To this date Obama has not backed of his statements that there has not been a "smidgeon of corruption at the IRS.