Progressive Groups Were in IRS Sightlines, Too

Progressive Groups Were in IRS Sightlines, Too

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After the Internal Revenue Service spent a month under fire for excessive scrutiny of conservative groups, a new report by its acting commissioner Danny Werfel claims the agency was also targeting progressive groups and searched for terms like “Occupy” and “Israel.”

The report describes several new procedures to prevent unfair treatment by the agency, including a fast-track process for groups seeking tax-exempt status that have yet to get a response from the IRS within 120 days of applying. Werfel told reporters Monday that the top five IRS officials responsible for the tax-exempt status of organizations have been removed.

"The IRS is committed to correcting its mistakes, holding individuals accountable as appropriate" and establishing new controls to reduce potential future problems,” Werfel said. - Read the report here

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Brianna Ehley is the former Washington Correspondent for The Fiscal Times. She is currently a reporter on Politico's health care team in Washington, D.C.