The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is famous for its tough skin and nonpartisan identity. Usually, the IRS is the one trouble, but this week, its back is against the wall. Earlier today, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department has opened a criminal inquiry into the IRS auditing that indicates there was special consideration taken towards conservative political groups. According to press secretary Jay Carney, IRS officials have admitted to singling out dozens of Tea Party inspired groups that applied for tax-exempt status.
The information that indicates the IRS has been acting in a partisan way has infuriated President Obama and Congress. Because the IRS is the only agency responsible for tax collection and tax law enforcement, there are little checks and balances to its system. President Obama said that if the agency intentionally targeted such groups, “That’s outrageous and there’s no place for it.”
Republican Representative Darrell Issa explained to CBS News that he is skeptical of the administration’s declaration that they will get to the bottom of this issue. Further, he thinks that this was “targeting of the president’s political enemies” and that the President “lied about it during the election year so it wasn’t discovered until afterwards.”
Partisan politics aside, the IRS’s position requires that they do not discriminate groups based on political or religious affiliation. Interestingly enough, the IRS is the only office that can declare a religion to be official by granting it tax exemption. The current investigation may lead Americans to wonder what other areas the office has been selectively compromising.
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/us/politics/facing-trio-of-crises-white-house-dodges-questions.html?hphttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/eric-holder-irs-probe_n_3274022.html
http://www.irs.gov