Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday that he understands the continued frustration with the IRS scandal.
“I do understand that people feel about it strongly,” Mr. Sessions said on “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” “I was a very strong critic when I was in Congress. But, well, the head of the IRS was fired, and two or three others were terminated, too, or resigned under pressure.
“So it wasn’t as if nothing happened, but … I understand the concerns of American people who never want to see an abuse occur,” he added.
In 2013, the IRS acknowledged that it investigated groups applying for tax exempt status based on the name of the organization or political ties. Both liberal and conservative groups were scrutinized, but conservative groups received far more intense questioning, according to Republican lawmakers. The FBI concluded in 2015 that there was no merit to file criminal charges.
Mr. Sessions said the Department of Justice has settled numerous lawsuits in cases related to claims the IRS targeted conservative groups under the Obama administration. He said while the DOJ is “unhappy” with the way the situation has been handled, the agency is trying to handle it as best they can.
“We feel that the Internal Revenue Service was in error, made some big mistakes to the detriment of citizens of our country, that the IRS can never, ever, ever be used to place a finger on the scale of justice for political reasons,” he said.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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