Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), chairman of the Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee, appeared on Fox News' "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren this week to discuss an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report commissioned by the committee.
The report, Roskam said, indicates the Internal Revenue Service audit selection process is at risk for targeting organizations based on their religious, educational, political or other views.
“When it all comes down to it, you look at a plain reading of these emails, and a plain reading of the emails is that Lois Lerner was targeting based on a political philosophy," Roskam said "We know she was doing this and the IRS was doing it. The IRS admitted it at the very beginning. They admitted that they were slow-walking applications for conservative groups. We found out on the Ways and Means Committee, based on our investigation, that she was manipulating on audits — and now the GAO study today.”
Roskam alleges the IRS commission knew about the targeting practices, as did President Barack Obama.
“Look, way back when, when the story first broke, President Obama went to the podium and was scandalized, and said Americans deserve to make sure that the IRS is acting properly," Roskam said. "Now, the President has said, remember this, not a smidgen of evidence of criminal wrongdoing.”
Roskam has represented Illinois' 6th District in the House of Representatives since 2007.
Alerts Sign-up