- The Washington Times - Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Republican, rushed to defend the conservative-leaning Breitbart News Network LLC on Tuesday after the company revealed it faces an IRS audit.

In a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, Mr. Cruz expressed deep concern over the “far-reaching, burdensome, and open-ended audit.”

The IRS asked the company for financial records and information for the year 2012, including personal income tax returns for each member of the company, payroll tax forms, and information on properties and assets acquired by the company.

Mr. Cruz said evidence that the IRS targeted conservative nonprofits for special scrutiny makes the Breitbart audit “highly questionable.”

“For the IRS to behave like a partisan political organization, targeting media organizations whose views differ from the president’s, would represent a gross abuse of power,” Mr. Cruz said. “It would undermine the statutory mission and integrity of the IRS. And it would likely subject IRS employees to criminal prosecution.”

• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.

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