Today, Congress launched an investigation into how the IRS allegedly lost two-years worth of Lois Lerner e-mails she had used to communicate with outside agencies such as the White House and Justice Department. The lost e-mails coincide with the time frame in which it has been alleged that the IRS engaged in widespread targeting of conservative groups.
This morning’s proceedings brought a fiery rebuke from Paul Ryan, absolutely grilling IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.
Ryan led his statements with this:
“This is unbelievable. The apology that ought to be given is to the American taxpayer. Not to a government agency that is abusing its power. I am sitting here listening to this testimony, I just – I don’t believe it. That’s your problem. Nobody believes you!”
Nobody believes you.
One year ago, a Wall Street journal poll indicated that 55% of Americans say the IRS targeting raised doubts about the Obama administration’s “overall honesty and integrity.”
And that was before the agency “lost” two years-worth of e-mails and destroyed Lerner’s hard drive.
Stephen F. Hayes reported via Twitter that Ryan was fired up.
Ryan is clearly, obviously angry as he accuses #IRS of misleading Congress. Don’t see that kind of anger from Ryan very often. He’s furious.
America should be fired up on both sides of the aisle. This is above and beyond any Nixonian level targeting of political opponents. The cover-up is even worse. Nixon only lost 18-minutes of the Watergate Tapes. The IRS has lost two years worth of communications.
Watch Ryan’s grilling of Koskinen below…
