The Republican National Committee is suing the Internal Revenue Service.
The RNC filed its lawsuit against the nation’s tax collecting body for withholding records the committee sought in a May 2013 Freedom of Information Act request Tuesday, Tax Day.
In its initial FOIA request, the RNC attempted to access documents and correspondence related to criteria used for determining tax exempt status, in the wake of revelations that the IRS had targeted conservative organizations.
According to the Republican body, the IRS has requested a number of extensions over the 226 days since the FOIA was issued. The IRS has not, however, produced the documents.
The RNC in a release called the delay “unacceptable” and “inexcusable” arguing that the release of the information is in the public’s interest.
“We’re filing this suit because the Obama administration has a responsibility to be transparent and accountable to the American people. The IRS has a legal obligation to answer our inquiry for these records,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said. “On Tax Day especially Americans deserve to know whether they can trust the agency to which they’re sending their taxes.”
Meanwhile, last week the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved a resolution to hold former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt for refusing to testify before the committee about the IRS targeting conservative groups.
A day prior the House Ways and Means Committee also requested the Justice Department prosecute Lerner for the alleged crimes related to the targeting.