WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today made the following statement after IRS Inspector General Russell George testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that he only became aware this month that IRS training materials included the term progressive:
“The Inspector General seems to be blaming the IRS for omissions in his audit when he himself is to blame. The Inspector General can claim that he was only made aware after his audit was issued that IRS training materials contained the category ‘progressive’ alongside ‘Tea Party.’ But he cannot claim to have been unaware that the term ‘progressive’ was on the ‘Be On the Look Out’ lists or that liberal groups were among the 298 advocacy organizations that he reviewed. When the Inspector General had the opportunity to clarify before Congress that ‘progressive’ was on the BOLO list and liberal groups were included in the 298 advocacy organizations, he failed to do so. His failure was used by Republicans to make numerous baseless charges, including that the White House was targeting its political enemies."
