Oversight Committee to Consider IRS Targeting Contempt Finding

Press Release

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) today announced that the Committee will convene for a business meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 9:00 AM in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building to consider a resolution holding Lois G. Lerner, former IRS Director of Exempt Organizations, in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions before Congress on May 22, 2013 and March 5, 2014, at a hearing entitled, "Targeting Americans for their Political Beliefs."

"Documents and testimony point to Lois Lerner as a senior IRS official responsible for conduct that deprived Americans of their rights to free speech and equal protection under our laws," said Issa. "Americans expect accountability and want Congress to do all it can to gather relevant evidence about what occurred and who was responsible so that this never happens again. Ms. Lerner's involvement in wrongdoing and refusal to meet her legal obligations has left the Committee with no alternative but to consider a contempt finding."

Ms. Lerner presided over the IRS division where targeting and improper scrutiny of Tea Party groups took place. She, herself, directed unprecedented scrutiny of Tea Party applicants and worked on new restrictive rules for non-profits after President Obama and other prominent Democrats expressed outrage at the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision. Lerner is the only IRS official who has refused to testify before Congress in the IRS targeting investigation. At one point her lawyer actually told the Committee she was ready to testify publicly, but subsequently rescinded that offer.

The Committee released the report, "Lois Lerner's Involvement in the IRS Targeting of Tax-Exempt Organizations", on
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