Obama: IRS Chief Is Out

Acting commissioner Steven Miller resigns amid scandal
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 15, 2013 5:37 PM CDT
Obama: Acting IRS Chief Is Out
President Barack Obama makes a statement on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday May 15, 2013. The president spoke after discussing the IRS matter with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and his...   (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The IRS mess has its first high-profile casualty: President Obama today announced the resignation of the agency's acting commissioner. "I am angry about it," declared Obama, who has been criticized for appearing passive in his response to the matter. He said the American people had a right to be angry as well. Obama announced the resignation of Steven Miller a day after the release of a report that showed ineffective management at the IRS allowed agents to improperly target conservative groups for more than 18 months.

The report lays much of the blame on IRS supervisors in Washington who oversaw a group of specialists in Cincinnati responsible for screening applications for tax-exempt status. It does not indicate that Washington initiated the targeting of conservative groups, but it does say a top supervisor in Washington did not adequately supervise agents in the field even after she learned the agents were acting improperly. Attorney General Eric Holder got grilled about the scandal today on Capitol Hill and promised reforms, reports USA Today. His Justice Department is investigating, as are three congressional committees. Earlier today, John Boehner said resignations would not be enough for those responsible. "Who's going to jail over this scandal?" he asked reporters. (More IRS stories.)

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