IRS claims they lost Lois Lerner’s emails (you know, the good ones)
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Emails: IRS official sought audit of GOP senator
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional investigators say they uncovered emails Wednesday showing that a former Internal Revenue Service official at the heart of the tea party investigation sought an audit involving a Republican senator in 2012.
The emails show former IRS official Lois Lerner mistakenly received an invitation to an event that was meant to go to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
The event organizer apparently offered to pay for Grassley's wife to attend the event. In an email to another IRS official, Lerner suggests referring the matter for an audit, saying it might be inappropriate for the group to pay for his wife.
"Perhaps we should refer to exam?" Lerner wrote.
It was unclear from the emails whether Lerner was suggesting that Grassley or the group be audited — or both.
The other IRS official, Matthew Giuliano, waved her off, saying an audit would be premature because Grassley hadn't even accepted the invitation.
"It would be Grassley who would need to report the income," Giuliano said.
The name of the event organizer was blacked out on copies of the emails released by the House Ways and Means Committee because they were considered confidential taxpayer information. Grassley and his wife signed waivers allowing their names to be released.
In a statement, Grassley's office said the senator did not attend the event, and did not receive any invitation intended for Lerner.
"This kind of thing fuels the deep concerns many people have about political targeting by the IRS and by officials at the highest levels," Grassley said. "It's very troubling that a simple clerical mix-up could get a taxpayer immediately referred for an IRS exam without any due diligence from agency officials."
The IRS said in a statement that it could not comment on the specifics of the case "due to taxpayer confidentiality provisions."
riiiiight...
Emails: IRS official sought audit of GOP senator
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional investigators say they uncovered emails Wednesday showing that a former Internal Revenue Service official at the heart of the tea party investigation sought an audit involving a Republican senator in 2012.
The emails show former IRS official Lois Lerner mistakenly received an invitation to an event that was meant to go to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
The event organizer apparently offered to pay for Grassley's wife to attend the event. In an email to another IRS official, Lerner suggests referring the matter for an audit, saying it might be inappropriate for the group to pay for his wife.
"Perhaps we should refer to exam?" Lerner wrote.
It was unclear from the emails whether Lerner was suggesting that Grassley or the group be audited — or both.
The other IRS official, Matthew Giuliano, waved her off, saying an audit would be premature because Grassley hadn't even accepted the invitation.
"It would be Grassley who would need to report the income," Giuliano said.
The name of the event organizer was blacked out on copies of the emails released by the House Ways and Means Committee because they were considered confidential taxpayer information. Grassley and his wife signed waivers allowing their names to be released.
In a statement, Grassley's office said the senator did not attend the event, and did not receive any invitation intended for Lerner.
"This kind of thing fuels the deep concerns many people have about political targeting by the IRS and by officials at the highest levels," Grassley said. "It's very troubling that a simple clerical mix-up could get a taxpayer immediately referred for an IRS exam without any due diligence from agency officials."
The IRS said in a statement that it could not comment on the specifics of the case "due to taxpayer confidentiality provisions."
riiiiight...
Emails: IRS official sought audit of GOP senator
Recommended reading: Roger L. Simon's Shame and Loathing on the Media Trail.
Related: NY Times Runs Only 13 Stories on IRS In Last Six Months. "Not a single story on the IRS made it onto the front page…(and) an IRS story never came before page A12."
Related: NY Times Runs Only 13 Stories on IRS In Last Six Months. "Not a single story on the IRS made it onto the front page…(and) an IRS story never came before page A12."
"A federal judge has ordered the IRS to explain 'under oath' how the agency lost a trove of emails from the official at the heart of the Tea Party targeting scandal."
Federal judge orders IRS to explain lost Lerner emails under oath | Fox News
Federal judge orders IRS to explain lost Lerner emails under oath | Fox News
"A second federal judge has now ordered the IRS to explain under oath how the agency lost emails from former division director Lois Lerner, the woman at the heart of the Tea Party targeting scandal."
why you might ask yourself?
From a Lois Lerner email exchange with her colleagues:
why you might ask yourself?
From a Lois Lerner email exchange with her colleagues:
I had a question today about OCS [Microsoft Office Communications Server]. I was cautioning folks about email and how we have several occasions where Congress has asked for emails and there has been an electronic search for responsive emails – so we need to be cautious about what we say in emails. Someone asked if OCS conversations were also searchable – I don’t know, but told them I would get back to them. Do you know?
IRS IT official Maria Hooke:No, the IRS does not routinely save chat communications – unless employees intentionally take steps to preserve their conversation. These chat communications are not saved – and this is critical – despite the fact that “the functionality exists within the software.”
Lerner:Perfect.
"When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal"
Via Universal Spectator;
Via Universal Spectator;
The Federal Election Commission recycled the computer hard drive of April Sands -- a former co-worker of Lois Lerner's -- hindering an investigation into Sands' partisan political activities, according to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Sands resigned from the Federal Election Commission in April after she admitted to violating the Hatch Act, which bars executive branch employees from engaging in partisan political activities on federal time and at federal facilities.
The twist is that Sands also worked under Lois Lerner when the ex-IRS agent -- who is currently embroiled in a scandal over the targeting of conservative political groups -- worked at the FEC's enforcement division.
"When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal" - Small Dead Animals
Sands resigned from the Federal Election Commission in April after she admitted to violating the Hatch Act, which bars executive branch employees from engaging in partisan political activities on federal time and at federal facilities.
The twist is that Sands also worked under Lois Lerner when the ex-IRS agent -- who is currently embroiled in a scandal over the targeting of conservative political groups -- worked at the FEC's enforcement division.
"When the President does it, that means that it is not illegal" - Small Dead Animals
I hear that when Lois retired from government service she got a bonus for "Outstanding Performance!" Maybe losing those Email was one of the "outstanding" things she did? The government paid a bonus to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Directors after they lost billion of taxpayer dollars annually.
Wait, aren't you one of those who say Watergate was no big deal and shouldn't have had any effect on Nixon?
No
Hey weren't you one of those guys that says the Redskins name is perfectly fine and you don't know what the big deal is?
What???
The interesting thing is that the Nixon administration tried to get the IRS to do the same thing..............and the IRS refused.
The current IRS scandal is third world stuff. Absolutely beyond belief. And Obama still has well over two years to complete his destruction of the USA as a great nation.
OK, must have you confused with somebody else.
Pretty much.
Good thing it ain't none of your business.
The right wing windmill tilting continues and what is the difference between Nixon and Now?
Today its more efficient there is no evidence so no crime was committed. Don't think so?
Well take Canada, the Duffy Harper exchange the personal check thing, long time ago member.
No evidence to suggest an actual crime took place. They buried the smoking gun no evidence
no crime. Therefore this administration is no more corrupt than the last one.
The Democrats will likely hold on to power and after sixteen years no one will care.
Both side accuse the other of all kinds of things and please note neither side is interested in
really solving the problem as both sides will look equally as bad its how it works.
No one wants solutions they want to talk about possible solutions.
Today its more efficient there is no evidence so no crime was committed. Don't think so?
Well take Canada, the Duffy Harper exchange the personal check thing, long time ago member.
No evidence to suggest an actual crime took place. They buried the smoking gun no evidence
no crime. Therefore this administration is no more corrupt than the last one.
The Democrats will likely hold on to power and after sixteen years no one will care.
Both side accuse the other of all kinds of things and please note neither side is interested in
really solving the problem as both sides will look equally as bad its how it works.
No one wants solutions they want to talk about possible solutions.