IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, fighting for his job, told the House Judiciary Committee he’s the only guy who can clean up the mess that has become of the tax-collecting agency.
“Let me note at the outset how much I deeply regret our inability to bring the C-4 [targeting] issue to a close in a way that satisfies all Americans and members of Congress,” he said. “I understand the level of suspicion and distrust caused by the IRS’s failure to properly handle applications for social welfare status based solely on the names of the organizations.”
Koskinen said he took the job of IRS commissioner, in large part, to fix the agency’s problems and “restore confidence” in the agency. He claimed to have made “real progress” and suggested his impeachment would be a setback to those efforts.
“The tax system only works if taxpayers are confident that the IRS will treat them fairly and that it doesn’t make any difference who they are, what organizations or political party they belong to, or whom they voted for in the last election,” he said. “This is an important principle to us at the IRS. And no one should have to wait years for an answer to a question or a request for a determination of any kind.”
Koskinen said he understands there are “significant remaining questions” for Congress regarding the IRS response to inquiries on his watch, and that he was ready to answer those questions. He insisted that he responded honestly—despite the fact those answers were later proven false—and in “good faith as events unfolded” regarding former IRS official Lois Lerner’s computer crash.
“From the start, I directed IRS staff to cooperate fully with Congress and to recover lost information where possible, and I testified to the best of my knowledge,” he said. “But the truth is that we did not succeed in preserving all of the information requested and some of my testimony later proved mistaken. “I regret both of those failings. I can also tell you that, with the benefit of hindsight, even closer communication with Congress would have been advisable. But my commitment is, and always has been, to tell you the truth and to address issues head on.”Republicans on the Judiciary Committee were unmoved. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said impeachment and removal from office was “the least we can do,” in light of the “fact pattern” in the matter. Democrats, on the other hand, appeared to be incensed by the hearing. They instead attempted to turn the hearing into a trial of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who they say illegally profited from the charitable Trump Foundation.
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