Cong. Hill Calls For IRS Commissioner Resignation

The actions of the Internal Revenue Service and its commissioner involving the targeting of conservative organizations should not be tolerated, Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, said Tuesday.

Hill has called for the resignation of IRS Commissioner John Koskinen in light of a nearly two-year investigation by a congressional committee into questions involving the organizations.

“Under the leadership of Commissioner Koskinen, the IRS has continuously misled the American people and obstructed Congress in its investigations about the targeting of taxpayers on the basis of their political beliefs,” Hill said.

“Private citizens should not fear discrimination from government, especially by an entity as powerful as the IRS. Instead of tirelessly working to reform the agency, the Commissioner has worked tirelessly to protect the reputations of those who oversaw these misconducts. It is time he resigns and is replaced with someone who is serious about restoring the people’s trust in their government.”

Last month, 51 House members sent a letter to President Barack Obama calling for the resignation.

In the 35-page letter, lawmakers also call for Koskinen’s resignation and reforms to the IRS.

“The IRS is one of the most powerful Federal agencies and must be trustworthy. It is not possible to move past the agency’s willful targeting of conservative tax-exempt applications as long as the agency refuses to take responsibility for its actions. As leader of the IRS, Commissioner John Koskinen has repeatedly failed to take responsibility for the destruction of evidence by the agency and the numerous misstatements he made to Congress about this matter. Because of his actions and the actions of others at the agency he heads, the American people may never know the truth about the IRS’ targeting of conservative tax-exempt applications,” the letter noted.

“For these reasons, we request you immediately remove Commissioner Koskinen as head of the IRS.”