Politics

IRS, FBI investigators have not contacted targeted conservative groups

Patrick Howley Political Reporter
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Federal government investigators probing the IRS targeting scandal have still not contacted any of the more than 40 victimized conservative and tea party groups represented in the American Center for Law and Justice lawsuit against the IRS.

“Neither the FBI nor any of the investigations have contacted any of our clients,” ACLJ chief counsel Jay Sekulow told The Daily Caller.

More than four months have passed since beleaguered IRS official Lois Lerner apologized for her agency improperly targeting conservatives with extensive and sometimes harassing audits.

FBI director Robert Mueller and acting IRS commissioner Danny Werfel have launched investigations into the matter, but have not contacted any of the conservative groups involved in the ACLJ’s class-action suit. Eric Holder’s Justice Department, which Holder claims is coordinating with the FBI on its investigation, has also not contacted any of Sekulow’s clients.

The IRS targeting scandal broke in the media in early May. The ACLJ increased its client list to 41 conservative groups in June.

At least five different IRS offices in Cincinnati, Ohio; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; Laguna Niguel and El Monte, California; improperly demanded extensive information from conservative groups applying for tax-exempt nonprofit status between 2010 and 2012. The IRS demanded copies of training materials distributed by conservative groups, as well as personal information on college interns and even the contents of a religious group’s prayers.

Congressional investigations by Rep. Darrell Issa’s Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee are ongoing.

The IRS, DOJ and FBI declined to comment.

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Patrick Howley