Rep. Gardner Demands To Know Colorado Groups Targeted By The IRS
DENVER (CBS4) - Republican U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner is demanded to know which Colorado political groups were targeted by the Internal Revenue Service hours after President Obama fired the acting chief of the IRS in the midst of a scandal.
A recent report says that Tea Party groups were the targets and that the IRS would put their tax exempt status applications under extra scrutiny, asking additional questions and dragging out the process. Some lawmakers are saying the problem started at the very top.
Obama made it very clear how he feels.
"It's inexcusable and Americans are right to be angry about it and I am angry about it," Obama told the nation in a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
The recent revelation that the IRS improperly targeted conservative groups filing for tax exempt status has forced the resignation of its director. It also has the president calling for new safeguards and more congressional oversight of the IRS.
"I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in any agency, but especially in the IRS, given the power it has and the reach it has into all of our lives," Obama said.
"This is about trust in government," said Charlie Smith, who launched a Colorado group called the Citizen Awareness Project that promotes conservative values. Smith says his group was a target of the IRS.
"In November I got a call from the IRS, from their tax-exempt organization's division, telling me that, well admitting that an IRS employee had illegally disclosed our application to someone, but they refused to tell me who or when or why," Smith said.
Gardner has demanded a list of all Colorado groups targeted by the IRS and says the administration needs to be held accountable.
"Washington, D.C. has been riveted by scandal thanks to this administration and we need to get to the bottom and answer so many questions surrounding all of them," Gardner said.
The report says the scandal went on for about 18 months. Obama says he will hold all involved accountable.
