The IRS Targeting Was Worse Than We Were Told

The Internal Revenue Service has released an 83-page report revealing that screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader in scope and lasted longer than the IRS had previously disclosed. The new head of the agency, Danny Werfel, said that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he found wide-ranging, improper terms on the lists that screeners were still using to select groups for careful examination. He said he suspended the use of all such lists immediately. The lists were targeting groups other than tea party and other conservative organizations, including the terms "Israel," ''Progressive" and "Occupy." The report indicates that an investigation into why specific terms were included is ongoing. A report last month by a Treasury Department inspector general apparently mis-spoke in saying agency officials abolished targeting of conservative groups with those lists in May 2012. Werfel said he believes there was "insufficient action" by IRS managers to prevent and disclose the problem involving the screening of certain groups, but has discovered no specific clues of misconduct or intentional wrongdoing by anyone in the IRS or involvement in these matters by anyone outside the IRS," he told reporters. The report released Monday outlines procedures the agency is installing to prevent unfair treatment of taxpayers in the future. They include a fast-track process for groups seeking tax-exempt status that have yet to get a response from the IRS within 120 days of applying, as well as holding individuals accountable as appropriate and establishing new controls to reduce potential future problems. The report drew negative reviews from one of the IRS's chief critics in Congress, Representative Darrell Issa, the California Republican who is chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Issa said the report fails to meaningfully answer the largest outstanding questions about inappropriate inquiries and indefensible delays. Issa also noted that since investigations by Congress and the Justice Department are still ongoing, Werfel's assertion that he has found no evidence that anyone at the IRS intentionally did anything wrong can only be premature. ~~~~~ Dear readers, what we have learned today is that there are now two internal IRS investigations, each followed by a report that whitewashes over the entire constitutionally improper IRS policy of targeting American conservative groups whose only goal was to receive the tax-exempt status they were entitled to. We have also learned that not only conservative Americans but also Israel and Progressives (whatever that term encompasses) were targeted. And, we still do not have the full list of terms used to indicate that unconstitutional harrassment would follow any group foolish enough to so describe itself. And we are also expected to take confort in the IRS' own finding that no one inside or outside the IRS was involved in the targeting. What a relief, dear readers - the IRS, the White House and the President are innocent babes in the Washington woods. Do I hear you laughing? Me, too.