In a taped interview with Fox’s Bill O’Reilly airing earlier this week, President Obama let loose with another one of his – what are becoming all too frequent – flagrant falsehoods. With regard to the admitted targeting of conservatives and tea party groups by the IRS, he dismissively repeated that “there have been multiple hearings,” and asserted that “not even a smidgen of corruption” has been found.
Well guess what Mr. Obama? Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) begs to differ. Here he is yesterday at an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, exposing the fact that there’s a whole lot more than a “smidgen” ~
The president says there’s not a ‘smidgen’ of criminality or corruption,” Gowdy said during a hearing of the House Oversight And Government Reform Committee on the IRS scandal.
Do either of you,” he said, addressing two Tea Party leaders who appeared to testify on their experiences with the IRS, “remember seeing a witness named Lois Lerner, sitting at the very table y’all are sitting at?
Do you remember her invoking her Fifth Amendment privilege? The same privilege that she targeted some of your groups for trying to educate people about?
Some of your groups just want to simply educate people about the Constitution — the one she availed herself of the very second she was exposed to criminal investigation.”
So how can the president say there’s not a ‘smidgen’ of criminality when Lois Lerner invoked the Fifth Amendment? Forty-one witnesses haven’t been interviewed, including the two who are here right now!” he added. “How can he possibly draw that conclusion?
More proof of the lie ~
Powerline blog posted a letter yesterday from courageous IRS whistleblower William Henck.
“Smidgen?” People, we’re talking boatloads of corruption! In fact, this rot in the IRS is indicative of the arrogance, bullying, and squandering of billions of our tax dollars, that’s become all too common with the O’Ministration.
Here are some excerpts from the letter ~
I do not personally know whether the IRS has targeted conservative groups or individuals, but I do know that the environment within the agency is ripe for such activity and there is nothing to prevent it from occurring. As stated in more detail below, I have personally witnessed improper giveaways of billions of dollars to taxpayers with inside access at the agency, bullying of elderly taxpayers, the cover-up of managerial embezzlement and misappropriation of thousands of dollars in government funds, and a retaliatory audit. I have also heard credible accounts of, among other things, further improper giveaways, blatant sexual harassment, and anti-Semitism. All of these matters have been swept under the rug.
I am reporting the information stated above because as a federal employee, I took an oath to the United States. I have a legal and moral obligation to report this information. I am proud of my colleagues in the IRS. The vast majority of us attempt to do our jobs in a conscientious manner. However, there is a culture of corruption within the IRS that dishonors that majority and the government we serve. Any organization will have its share of bad apples and misconduct. What separates the IRS is its junkyard dog ferocity in covering up misconduct. There is a strong cultural imperative within the IRS to protect the organization and high-ranking officials’ positions within it. If you report misconduct or dissent from the party line, your career is finished. Period. (For example, I still as of this moment have a job, but my career was finished as soon as I reported that manager for embezzlement.) […]
As stated above, I have no direct knowledge of harassment for political reasons. I fear, however, that the ordinary citizens recounting stories of IRS abuse due to their political beliefs are telling the truth. (It is naïve to think that IRS executives would engage in the activities described above, but somehow draw the line at politically motivated harassment.) If these taxpayer accounts are true, then the IRS executives are doing it for a very simple reason: because they can. There is no accountability for IRS misconduct and people within the agency are scared to speak out and also believe, with considerable justification, that such action would be futile.
I have chosen to speak out in part because I have personally experienced the horrific damage that bureaucratic bullies can inflict. I also have tried to live up to the admonition in Romans 12:21: do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I could sit around and knock down Jim Beam and complain, or I could try to do something constructive about the situation. I chose the latter option.
Read Henck’s whole letter HERE.
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Related:
More than a smidgen: IRS whistleblower’s terrifying charges
The IRS Drive to Silence the Right.
From a separate hearing, held by the House Ways & Means Committee ~
… it appears the administration not only tried to delay and prevent conservative organizations from receiving their tax-exempt status prior to the 2012 election, but was also already planning new regulations that would stifle their political speech and potential criticism of the administration.
