printWhy would Washington saddle a regional IRS office—“rogue agents” in Cincinnati—with the blame for IRS infractions against conservative non-profit outfits, if our overlords who art in DC were not feeling the heat?
WASHINGTON — The investigation into the IRS practice of targeting conservative groups moved one step closer to the White House today in testimony before the House Oversight Committee.
Career IRS official Carter Hull, a self-described 501(c)4 expert with 48 years experience with the tax agency, testified the IRS chief counsel’s office in Washington demanded information on the 2010 election activity of tea party groups applying for tax-exempt status.
Hull testified that instead of carrying out his recommendations to approve or deny tax-exempt status to conservative groups, Lois Lerner, the director of the IRS Exempt Organizations division, ordered tea party applications to go through a multi-level review that included her senior adviser and the office of the IRS chief counsel, a political appointee.
William Wilkins, one of two Obama administration political appointees at the IRS, leads the IRS chief counsel.
Scapegoating Cincinnati
Also testifying was Elisabeth Hofacre, an IRS official in the Cincinnati office who was assigned to review as many as 60 tea party applications and who coordinated her work with Hull.
She said the review process and extra scrutiny given the conservative groups was so unusual and she was so frustrated by what she saw as micromanagement, she asked for a transfer in July 2010, which was approved in October.
When Issa asked Hofacre how she felt when IRS officials began blaming the scrutiny on conservative groups on “rogue agents” in Cincinnati, she said she was deeply offended.
She said it hit her like a “nuclear strike.”
Fireworks were provided by Rep. Jason Chavetz, R-Utah, who was visibly upset over the treatment of Hofacre.
He expressed outrage that the White House Press secretary would blame the IRS targeting of conservatives on two agents in Cincinnati and that former acting IRS director Steve Miller would blame two rogue agents.
Chavetz said the most powerful people in Washington were blaming one of the people sitting at the table in front of him, referring to Hofacre.
He said that makes him believe Washington is involved.
MORE.
To be clear: I am quite pleased to see all IRS agents fry. But not at the cost of letting the White House off the hook.