IRS Chief Apologizes to Congress for Lost Information

By ALAN FRAM, ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Sep 20, 2016, 8:20 PM ET

The commissioner of the IRS apologized to Congress on Tuesday for information his agency lost and inaccurate statements he made during congressional investigations of its treatment of tea party and other conservative groups. But John Koskinen said he's been truthful and cooperative and insisted it would be wrong to impeach him.

Koskinen made the remarks in a written statement prepared for his scheduled appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. That committee is examining an election-year effort by conservatives to impeach Koskinen, which has divided Republicans and is sure to ultimately fail for lack of votes.

Congressional Republicans launched several investigations after the IRS admitted in 2013 that during the 2010 and 2012 elections, it had singled out tea party and other conservative groups seeking tax exemptions to unusually stringent examinations.

The impeachment effort accuses Koskinen of hindering congressional investigators by lying and not providing documents, charges that he and Democrats have denied. Probes by Congress, the Justice Department and lawmakers have uncovered no proof that the IRS' treatment of conservative groups was politically motivated or that any documents were purposely destroyed.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]