Republican IRS agent says he instigated ‘Tea Party’ inquiries

[xchrom]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/10/republican-irs-agent-says-he-instigated-tea-party-inquiries/

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Internal Revenue Service manager, who described himself as a conservative Republican, told congressional investigators that he and a local colleague decided to give conservative groups the extra scrutiny that has prompted weeks of political controversy.

In an official interview transcript released on Sunday by Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings, the manager said he and an underling set aside “Tea Party” and “patriot” groups that had applied for tax-exempt status because the organizations appeared to pose a new precedent that could affect future IRS filings.

Cummings, top Democrat on the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee conducting the probe, told CNN’s “State of the Union” program that the manager’s comments provided evidence that politics was not behind IRS actions that have fueled a month-long furor in Washington.

“He is a conservative Republican working for the IRS. I think this interview and these statements go a long way toward showing that the White House was not involved in this,” Cummings told CNN’s “State of the Union” program.

[Kingofalldems]

1. Kick for the secret Issa fans trying to make hay out of this.

[NYtoBush-Drop Dead]

13. Fuck the criminal Issa.

He's wasting our money and our time.

[Drale]

28. That's all he does

that was his plan from the second he decided to run for congress

[leftyohiolib]

2. NOW can this stupity go away?

[GoCubsGo]

7. Not until that fact is pounded into everyone's head.

Particularly those teabaggers who think Obama is after them, rather than their own party trying to find a way to purge them from their ranks.

[JoeyT]

3. Kick.

Silliest "scandal" ever. Openly political groups pissed off because someone assumed they were being political.

[House of Roberts]

4. This makes me believe what I've suspected since this broke.

All this started with some IRS employees trying to do their jobs, cutting corner where possible to get more work done in the time allowed.
Maybe if their budget wasn't so sparse, they wouldn't have had to resort to this to save time.
It won't stop the Reich from working the refs however.

[SnowCritter]

6. Seems a classic Catch-22

Do your job - get excoriated by the right. Don't do your job - get excoriated by the right.

[Glitterati]

9. Not what I think

I believe someone like John Boehner went to his Bush appointed buddy at the IRS to keep the Tea Party in Ohio from running someone against him.

That's how the hell they even knew about it - because it was the Repubs who called in a favor at the IRS.

[Whiskeytide]

14. This has been my suspicion all along...

... The Tea Party has actually been a blessing to Dems. They have won a fair number primaries, but very few general elections, and they don't always cooperate with the establishment republicans once they DO get to DC. They look silly to most Americans, and their outrageous antics, extreme positions and associations with "Morans" have kept moderate republicans home and turned independent voters away.

Who would better benefit from taking them down a notch or two and making it more difficult for them to finance primaries? And being able to accomplish that and ALSO blame the Obama administration - Hell, that's "priceless" for them!!!!

[Glitterati]

16. Exactly!

There is no downside to the republicans calling in an IRS favor.

And, as has been seen here, only an upside as everyone falls for the BS.

[WCGreen]

22. That is not really provable because that particular office for the IRS prosses

all the 501 (c) organizations for the whole country.

[ctsnowman]

24. X 1000

[uponit7771]

5. Impeach Obama!!!! /sarcasm

[malaise]

8. Oops!

I dare Issa to demand a Special Prosecutor and expose ReTHUG goons seeking tax exemptions.

[another_liberal]

10. When does Issa have to run again, next November?

I certainly hope Democrats make the most out of this witness, so his statements can be run parallel to Issa's bombast about how he had evidence the IRS was directed from the White House when it singled out Tea Party groups for more scrutiny.

That lying bastard may find it a lot harder to get elected next time than he had expected.

[dragonlady]

31. November 2014

With all the other members of the House of Representatives.

[another_liberal]

32. Precisely.

Even in a largely Tea Party district, this level of ignorance and dishonesty should cost him his seat.

[progressoid]

11. rec.

[shawn703]

12. But but!

A manager is responsible for the actions of his subordinates! Obama should have known what that conservative Republican was doing! He was derelict in his duty!

[florida08]

15. lol

oh turdblossom..you sneaky little devil

[William769]

17. Who would of thought!

[xchrom]

18. NO ONE COULD SEE THAT COMING!11

[kentuck]

19. Well, that is an interesting development.

How much more will we hear about this story?

[davidpdx]

20. Forget waiting, release the transcripts now

That asshole Issa should be handed his ass literally. People need to see what an utter fraud he is.

[KansDem]

21. It's finally dawned on me: the Koch Bros are masterful circus ringmasters...

...and the Tea Baggers are their clowns, keeping us "amused" and "entertained."

I could really go a day without hearing or reading about the TeaPublicans and their antics. I never did like the circus...

[AnnieK401]

23. This will get lost with the NSA scandal!

Great timing Rethugs.

[AAO]

25. Republican Furor! (When a scandal isn't a scandal)

[BeyondGeography]

26. Cummings has been a rock

Dealing with Issa Follies non-stop, keeping an even keel and counterattacking with great skill.

[liberal N proud]

27. Typical right wing - fabricate a problem then raise hell about it while blaming the other guy.

[emulatorloo]

29. They teach that in "Intro to Republican Bullshit"

[groundloop]

30. I just KNOW this story will be at the top of the "News" for weeks and weeks....

Now that someone has taken the time to find out what was really going on it won't get even a whisper. The damage has been done, the country knows that the IRS is at President Obama's beck and call, and that there's been an ongoing conspiracy to tax right wing groups out of existence. (MORE )