Impeachment for IRS Commissioner Takes Another Step Forward

While the House Judiciary Committee will hold its first hearing on the impeachment of John Koskinen next week, there’s been another development that will add pressure on the IRS Commissioner to resign.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) has introduced a resolution to censure Koskinen and strip him of his pension. It creates a choice for the commissioner: resign or be removed by Congress.

“The resolution seeks Commissioner Koskinen’s resignation or removal, and requires the forfeiture of his pension,” Chaffetz says. “Censure affords Congress additional consequences to consider in identifying appropriate penalties for the Commissioner’s misdeeds.”

Among the findings of the Oversight Committee, which resulted in the articles of impeachment he now also faces, Koskinen:

• failed to comply with a subpoena, resulting in the destruction of key evidence;
• lied under oath and provided false and misleading information; and
• failed to notify Congress the key evidence was missing.

Under Koskinen’s watch, the IRS ignored a congressional subpoena and an internal preservation order regarding 422 backup tapes containing as many as 24,000 of former employee Lois Lerner’s emails. Lerner is accused of targeting conservatives and Christians for audits and delaying their applications for nonprofit status.

The Oversight Committee charges that Koskinen falsely testified the IRS turned over all emails relevant to the congressional investigation, including all of Ms. Lerner’s emails. However, those emails were destroyed, but Congress wasn’t notified for more than three months.

“Mr. Koskinen must be held accountable for his misconduct,” Chaffetz said. “I am committed to using every tool at my disposal to hold Mr. Koskinen responsible for his offenses toward Congress and toward the American people. I view censure as a precursor to impeachment as it allows the House the opportunity to formally condemn Mr. Koskinen.”