Author Topic: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business  (Read 1988 times)

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Offline happyg

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Top IRS officials repeatedly used private email to do official business, including sending classified documents to non-agency email addresses, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa says.

 Issa, a California Republican and chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wrote a letter to IRS Acting Commissioner Daniel Werfel outlining a "troubling pattern" involving at least four senior officials — including now-retired official Lois Lerner, who's at the center of a tea party groups' targeting scandal.

The Washington Examiner, which broke the story Monday, quoted from a copy of the letter it had obtained.

 "This not only raises the prospect of violations of the Federal Records Act, but it also raises data security concerns and violates internal IRS policies," Issa wrote.

 Issa wrote that he discovered the unsecure emails while investigating the agency's targeting of tea party and conservative groups during the 2012 election season.

 Issa's investigation accuses Lerner of producing more than 1,600 pages of emails and documents housed in a nonofficial email account related to official business, including almost 30 pages of confidential taxpayer information, The Examiner reported.

 The cache included a summary of an application for tax-exempt status the IRS instructed Lerner's legal counsel to redact because the information was prohibited from being disclosed, it reported.

Lerner retired in September amid an internal probe of the scandal.

 Issa's investigation also showed former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who stepped down after the November election, also received emails related to official business on a nonofficial email account, The Examiner reported.

 Other IRS officials reportedly targeted are Judith Kindell, senior technical adviser of the Exempt Organization Division, and Nikole Flax, chief of staff of the Office of the Commissioner.

 "This rampant use of nonofficial email by four IRS officials to conduct official business suggests that such use is a systemic problem throughout the IRS," Issa wrote. "This is also a concern to the committee because federal taxpayer information cannot be shared on nonsecure, nonofficial systems."

 Issa has asked Werfel to brief the committee about the handling of emails at the agency, but no spokesperson has commented, The Examiner said, citing the government shutdown.

 The Environmental Protection Agency has also come under fire for using private email accounts for official business. The agency's inspector general last month cleared top-level employees of intentionally trying to hide information, saying the problem was a failure to  train employees on properly storing records.

 Meanwhile, Issa has warned there's reason for citizens to "fear" the government.

“Right now, there’s a reason to fear the IRS and other agencies, including the EPA, who are loaded with people who feel empowered to bend the rules against those they disagree with,” he said, The Daily Caller reported Sunday.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Issa-IRS-fear-emails/2013/10/07/id/529740?ns_mail_uid=5294124&ns_mail_job=1540700_10082013&promo_code=151C1-1




Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2013, 03:02:07 pm »
At the risk of redundancy I'm going to say it again. The complete and total solution to thsi problem is currently languishing in both houses of congress in the form of one bill (HR25 in the house and S122 in the senate)!

http://fairtax.org

 
« Last Edit: October 08, 2013, 03:02:44 pm by Bigun »
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline happyg

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2013, 03:10:11 pm »
At the risk of redundancy I'm going to say it again. The complete and total solution to thsi problem is currently languishing in both houses of congress in the form of one bill (HR25 in the house and S122 in the senate)!

http://fairtax.org

I'm with you, and imagine most Americans agree. However, it is too simple a plan for the congresscritters to even consider. They prefer the confusion, loopholes, and browbeating by the IRS.

Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2013, 05:18:52 pm »
I'm with you, and imagine most Americans agree. However, it is too simple a plan for the congresscritters to even consider. They prefer the confusion, loopholes, and browbeating by the IRS.

You are right on target hap!  Absolutely spot on!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2013, 12:38:27 am »
You KNOW I'm in.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2013, 12:40:01 am »
And today we learned that it goes right up to the White House!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline happyg

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2013, 12:40:43 am »
And today we learned that it goes right up to the White House!

I wonder what they will do about it?  :shrug:

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2013, 12:41:39 am »
I wonder what they will do about it?  :shrug:

That is easy.

Nothing
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2013, 12:41:58 am »
I wonder what they will do about it?  :shrug:

That was the straw that broke the camel's back in the Nixon era!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #9 on: October 10, 2013, 12:42:56 am »
That was the straw that broke the camel's back in the Nixon era!

Yes, but Nixon was a Republican
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2013, 12:46:09 am »
Yes, but Nixon was a Republican

That's true but I doubt we have heard the last of this yet this time!

Regardless of whether or not Obama faces anything over it, I hoe we wind up with NO income tax and NO IRS in the end!

Another House co-sponsor signed on today!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2013, 12:51:04 am »
That's true but I doubt we have heard the last of this yet this time!

Regardless of whether or not Obama faces anything over it, I hoe we wind up with NO income tax and NO IRS in the end!

Another House co-sponsor signed on today!

I wish we would, but neither party wants to give up the power they gain from the IRS
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2013, 02:24:01 am »
I wish we would, but neither party wants to give up the power they gain from the IRS

It isn't up to them! It IS up to us!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2013, 02:26:01 am »
It isn't up to them! It IS up to us!

We can only do it at the ballot box, my fear is there is more like our new Lib than there is of us.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Online Bigun

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2013, 02:30:07 am »
We can only do it at the ballot box, my fear is there is more like our new Lib than there is of us.

I personally doubt that given what has happened recently and is STILL happening with the IRS.

The only way we are going to find out is to press the issue with our own congressional representatives and senators.
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Issa: IRS Officials Used Private Email to Do Official Business
« Reply #15 on: October 10, 2013, 02:33:17 am »
I personally doubt that given what has happened recently and is STILL happening with the IRS.

The only way we are going to find out is to press the issue with our own congressional representatives and senators.

My congressman is really good - hope he stays that way, because we all really liked Trent Franks who was redistricted out of our district after the last census.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776