White House counsel kept IRS probe results from Obama

Reuters ^ | May 20, 2013 | Kim Dixon and Roberta Rampton

[neverdem]

Two senior White House aides knew weeks ago that a probe of the Internal Revenue Service had found that the U.S. tax agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups, but did not tell President Barack Obama, a White House spokesman said on Monday.

A Treasury Department official informed White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler on April 24 about the preliminary findings of a report that would fuel the latest in a series of scandals to confront Obama at the start of his second term.

The report was issued by a Treasury inspector general on May 14, four days after an IRS official had acknowledged, and apologized for, the agency's targeting of conservative groups with names such as "Tea Party" and "Patriots" that had applied for tax-exempt status.

Soon after learning of the report's preliminary findings, Ruemmler briefed White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and some other senior staff members, White House spokesman Jay Carney told a regular news briefing. Ruemmler chose not to inform Obama about the findings to avoid any appearance that he had any role in shaping the report - a role the president would not have taken anyway, Carney said.

As a result, said Carney, Obama did not learn of the findings until they were announced last week - as the president has himself stated.

Monday's disclosures revealed more about the inner workings of the White House than they did about the IRS scandal, which revolves around questions such as who imposed the inappropriate targeting by IRS employees in the agency's office in Cincinnati, Ohio, and whether IRS officials misled Congress last year about whether they knew that targeting was going on.

Answers to such questions could begin to emerge during congressional hearings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, in the Senate Finance Committee and House of Representatives Oversight...

[2ndDivisionVet]

[ConorMacNessa]

There are some things in my life of which I am proud. One such thing is my letter to the Arkansas State Bar some 15 or so years ago lodging an ethics complaint against an Arkansas lawyer - William Jefferson Clinton. It's framed and on my wall. And the maggot was, in fact, disbarred, both there and before the Supreme Court of the U.S.

I'd like to write another letter now against Barry Hussein Obama, or whatever his name is, but I can't find a Bar to which he is admitted.

DAMN IT ALL!!!



"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Liberty Valance]

bttt

[2ndDivisionVet]

Indonesia? Kenya? Saudi Arabia? The Comintern?

[Seaplaner]

One suspects that not only did Mister Obama know, but that he was behind it all; and, (again, one suspects) that he is wary enough to cover his tracks.

One wishes that the media would consider that maybe Mister Obama's intent might not be totally benign; and that they would investigate this angle

.

[Carry_Okie]

Two senior White House aides knew weeks ago that a probe of the Internal Revenue Service had found that the U.S. tax agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups, but did not tell President Barack Obama, a White House spokesman said on Monday.

The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.

Until somebody decides to get off.

[GeronL]

does anyone believe you can sic FBI, IRS OSHA etc on hundreds of dissident groups without the Presidents authority?

[funfan]

Does anyone think Obama did not know? He is a liar he knew and it has his grimy fingerprints all over it and many other sorted things I am sure.

[neverdem]

On the Hill: Senate Narrowly Rejects Pro-Gun Amendment, While House Committee Approves Protection for Veterans (Senate Roll Call Vote)

Nudging Conservatives to Harness Behavioral Science (again)

Teflon Decision-Making from Our Military (Bing West)

A Partisan Union at the IRS

Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[Brad from Tennessee]

This is what we've come to expect from a chief executive who is a $400,000-a-year event planner.

[uncommonsense]

"White House counsel kept IRS probe results from Obama"

Carefully worded headline. Kept... probe... results... from Obama.

That does not preclude Obama from ordering the suppression of opposition, or at a minimum, his staffers from telling him some rouge agents took it upon themselves to implement his directives (e.g. the numerous threats to punish enemies or attack private citizens).

[coincheck]

This all smells like male bovine feces.

If the president had an “R” behind his name, He would have been crucified last year when the consulate in Benghazi was attacked, and the ambassador was buggered and killed.

We’d still be hearing how incompetent the president would be, then add the other 4-5 scandal’s and that would be the end of the “R” party. The press would be broadcasting this 24-7-365!

Hypocrites! (Yes, they are the definition)

[Beave Meister]

Mr. President....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L18jsq8qk9Q

[Catsrus]

Your captain hit the nail on the head. I don’t for one minute believe bozo didn’t know anything about this. The a** kissers are once again circling the wagons for their dear leader. This gets so old and tiring - just once I wish the Republicans would be a little more aggressive and call them out for what they are - LIARS! All of them.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

To #28: THere are already enough cockroaches inside the White House. Don’t need any more. Maybe the Orkin Man.

[boop]

Let it ALL play out. I'm beginning to thing Charles Krauthammer is smarter than he once appeared.

I thought Krauthammer was a fool to advise republicans to tone things down.

But all republicans have to do is simply let absolute, total, irrefutable facts just kind of drizzle out, and let the chips fall where they may.

We ALL know that Obama knew about all of these scandals.

So Obama has two choices:

Own up to them and people will see him as the corrupt a$$hole he is.

Or have his underlings point out just how unengaged, stupid, and clueless Obama is.

Neither of these options is very desireable.

Apparently the dems are choosing option #2.

The stupid President.

I personally believe he is is both, but that's just me.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Obama did not learn of the findings [emphasis added] until they were announced last week - as the president has himself stated.

Parsing.

This is to plant the meme he knew nothing. Says nothing about knowing about the issue, just the results of the probe.

Precisely. Maybe we know when Obama learned the specific words of the finding - but that is no proof that he didn’t plan and order the actual malfeasance. And in fact we know that Obama made no secret that he was unhappy about the Citizens United ruling under which these applications were being submitted. Obama had an affirmative duty to prevent malfeasance - not just sanctimoniously proclaim his “outrage” at an abuse after he had reaped the full benefit from it.

[politicianslie]

Fools?

No the GUBERMINT thinks we are all idiots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQLxlSBGwMY

Because the video shows that we have been lied to for decades,it means “THEY” can tell us just about any lie and the majority of Americans will believe it.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

Of course he knew. Nothing could be more obvious.

[Chode]

yeah, right...