: In early 2010, was there a time when you became aware of applications that referenced Tea Party or other conservative groups? A: In March of 2010, I was made aware.
****** Q: Okay. Now, was there a point around this time period when [your supervisor] asked you to do a search for similar applications? A: Yes. Q: To the best of your recollection, when was this request made? A: Sometime in early March of 2010.
****** Q: Did [your supervisor] give you any indication of the need for the search, any more context? A: He told me that Washington, D.C., wanted some cases.
******
Q: So as of April 2010, these 40 cases were held at that moment in your group; is that right? A: Some were. Q: How many were held there? A: Less than 40. Some went to Washington, D.C. Q: Okay. How many went to Washington, D.C.? A: I sent seven.
******
Q: So you prepared seven hard copy versions of the applications to go to Washington, D.C.? A: Correct.
******
Q: Did he give you any sort of indication as to why he requested you to do that?
[…] A: He said Washington, D.C. wanted seven. Because at one point I believe I heard they were thinking 10, but it came down to seven. I said okay, seven. Q: How did you decide which seven were sent? A: Just the first seven. Q: The first seven to come into the system? A: Yes.
*****
Q: Did anyone else ever make a request that you send any cases to Washington? A: [Different IRS employee] wanted to have two cases that she couldn't ‑‑ Washington, D.C. wanted them, but she couldn't find the paper. So she requested me, through an email, to find these cases for her and to send them to Washington, D.C. Q: When was this, what time frame? A: I don't recall the time frame, maybe May of 2010.
******
Q: But just to be clear, she told you the specific names of these applicants. A: Yes. Q: And she told you that Washington, D.C. had requested these two specific applications be sent to D.C. A: Yes, or parts of them.
******
Q: Okay. So she asked you to send particular parts of these applications. A: Mm‑hmm. Q: And that was unusual. Did you say that? A: Yes. Q: And she indicated that Washington had requested these specific parts of these specific applications; is that right? A: Correct.
******
Q: So what do you think about this, that allegation has been made, I think as you have seen in lots of press reports, that there were two rogue agents in Cincinnati that are sort of responsible for all of the issues that we have been talking about today. What do you think about those allegations? […] A: It's impossible. As an agent we are controlled by many, many people. We have to submit many, many reports. So the chance of two agents being rogue and doing things like that could never happen.
******
Q: And you've heard, I'm sure, news reports about individuals here in Washington saying this is a problem that was originated in and contained in the Cincinnati office, and that it was the Cincinnati office that was at fault. What is your reaction to those types of stories? […] A: Well, it's hard to answer the question because in my mind I still hear people saying we were low‑level employees, so we were lower than dirt, according to people in D.C. So, take it for what it is. They were basically throwing us underneath the bus.
******
Q: So is it your perspective that ultimately the responsible parties for the decisions that were reported by the IG are not in the Cincinnati office? A: I don't know how to answer that question. I mean, from an agent standpoint, we didn't do anything wrong. We followed directions based on other people telling us what to do. Q: And you ultimately followed directions from Washington; is that correct? A: If direction had come down from Washington, yes. Q: But with respect to the particular scrutiny that was given to Tea Party applications, those directions emanated from Washington; is that right? A: I believe so.
And another more senior IRS Cincinnati employee complained about micromanagement from D.C.:
Q: But you specifically recall that the BOLO terms included "Tea Party?" A: Yes, I do. Q: And it was your understanding ‑‑ was it your understanding that the purpose of the BOLO was to identify Tea Party groups? A: That is correct. Q: Was it your understanding that the purpose of the BOLO was to identify conservative groups? A: Yes, it was. Q: Was it your understanding that the purpose of the BOLO was to identify Republican groups? A: Yes, it was.
******
Q: Earlier I believe you informed us that the primary reason for applying for another job in July [2010] was because of the micromanagement from [Washington, DC, IRS Attorney], is that correct? A: Right. It was the whole Tea Party. It was the whole picture. I mean, it was the micromanagement. The fact that the subject area was extremely sensitive and it was something that I didn't want to be associated with. Q: Why didn't you want to be associated with it? A: For what happened now. I mean, rogue agent? Even though I was taking all my direction from EO Technical [Washington, D.C], I didn't want my name in the paper for being this rogue agent for a project I had no control over. Q: Did you think there was something inappropriate about what was happening in 2010? A: Yes. The inappropriateness was not processing these applications fairly and timely.
******
Q: You have stated you had concerns with the fairness and the timeliness of the application process. Did you have concerns with just the fact that these cases were grouped together and you were the only one handling them? A: I was the only one handling the Tea Party's, that is correct. Q: Did that specifically cause you concern? A: Yes, it did. And I was the only person handling them. Q: Were you concerned that you didn't have the capacity to process all of the applications in a timely manner? A: That is correct. And it is just ‑‑ I mean, like you brought up, the micromanagement, the fact that the topic was just weirdly handled was a huge concern to me.
******
Issa also discussed the Committee’s Thursday, June 6 hearing entitled “Collected and Wasted: The IRS Spending Culture and Conference Abuses.” The hearing will focus on the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration report on excessive IRS conference spending and abuses of taxpayer dollars. Issa sent a letter about excessive spending to then-IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman in April, 2012. Between 2010 and 2012, the IRS held at least 220 conferences, which cost approximately $50 million.
In one example, the IRS spent $4 million dollars on a manager’s conference for 2,600 people in Anaheim, Calif. in August, 2010. Contrary to established government contracting practices, the outside event planners did not negotiate lower room rates and instead focused on “perks” for IRS employees. Several IRS employees stayed in presidential suites, which rate at $1,500-$3,500 per night. Moreover, 15 outside speakers were paid $135,000 – including one speaker who lectured on “leadership through art” for $17,000.
Additionally, multiple videos were produced for the conference. A previously unreleased video, referred to as the “cupid shuffle,” and featured employees learning the popular dance as part of preparation for the Anaheim management conference.
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Again....WHY do we need to get the truth from another country????
Rhetorical, of course. =)
Bammy need bigger bus.
Who here actually thinks anyone will be held accountable for this?
For once, this is a true bombshell!
The lower level employees obviously don’t want to take the fall, and even their devotion to Obama isn’t enough to make them willing to risk jail.
Sad that you have to read the British press to find out what it going on in the US.
Meanwhile at the Chicago Commodities Exchange popcorn futures tripled...
Sounds like a whistle blower to me, didn't plead the Fifth! Under the bus!!!! /s
I want to know what other agencies investigated donors whose names were provided to them by the IRS. As big and bad as the IRS is, this is a lot bigger than just the IRS. We already know the IRS leaked the names of donors to liberal activists, who then harassed the donors with pickets and boycotts. I want to know what agencies did the same. EPA, ATF, OSHA, who else made the lives of ordinary people a living hell with audit after audit, for the crime of trying to speak out against the regime?
The end goal of the IRS and Obastard is to make donating to their opposition a federal crime. It worked like a talisman in 2012.
Barry has been using the IRS as a political weapon since at least the Joe the Plumber days.
Where there is smoke there is fire. This was a coordinated effort that included far far more than the IRS. The effort included at a minimum the IRS and an outside political intelligence gathering organization that both provided specific information to the IRS and as well gathered specific information from the IRS. This outside entity remains in operation TODAY.
Feigning ignorance and scapegoating subordinates is not an answer to criminal activity.
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Bam!
Just get used to it folks. Under Obamacare, this type of actions will be the norm. Wait till you go for health care at the Dr’s office and they tell you they cannot do something because the IRS has decided that your particular activities are against their rules. Republican, Conservative, Christian, Patriot. All those will be prime targets for the One World Government in Babylon D.C.
Valerie Jarrett.
5.56mm
Those who turn in the supervisers will get audited. Those who lie, will get rewarded.
I salute the excellent work being done by Congressional Republicans in the exposure of the IRS harassment of the Tea Party; however, like most Patriots I’m looking at the bottom line: I want to see these IRS criminals and traitors indicted, given a fair trial and sent up the river to the Atlanta federal prison!
If we allow the Left to get away with this nonsense, it’s the end of the Republic.
Q: But you specifically recall that the BOLO terms included "Tea Party?"
A: Yes, I do.
Q: And it was your understanding ‑‑ was it your understanding that the purpose of the BOLO was to identify Tea Party groups?
A: That is correct.
Q: Was it your understanding that the purpose of the BOLO was to identify conservative groups?
A: Yes, it was.
Q: Was it your understanding that the purpose of the BOLO was to identify Republican groups?
A: Yes, it was.
Be On the Lookout (BOLO) for American Newspapers like the Washington Post and New York Times to pick up this story...
Wow, this is big. I wonder what else Issa’s got? He may be playing with a pretty strong hand here.
The LSM kept saying that the Tea Party had “gone away”, “lost its relevance”. We knew it had gone underground and tried to effect change through grass roots efforts. But now we ALSO know that they were trying to fight THIS battle, and I’m sure it sapped a lot of energy...