The IRS on Thursday tentatively settled two lawsuits brought by conservative tea party groups targeted for extra scrutiny earlier this decade, apologizing for its conduct in one and agreeing to a multimillion-dollar payout in the other.

"Good God, yes – this is so sweet," said Tom Zawistowski of Akron, a founder of two Ohio groups that were part of each lawsuit. "It's been a long slog to get to this point ... and we even held out in the one case until the IRS actually apologized."

The first case, brought in Washington, D.C., federal court by 41 different groups, did not include any monetary damages as that possibility was thrown out early in the process.

But in the consent decree, the IRS acknowledged that the treatment of those groups was "unnecessary to the agency's determination of their tax-exempt status."

"For such treatment, the IRS expresses its sincere apology," the agency said in the settlement. Both settlements are pending final approval by the respective judges.

IRS officials did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

The lawsuits were filed shortly after IRS officials disclosed in the spring of 2013 that hundreds of conservative groups had received an "improper" extra scrutiny when applying for tax-exempt status in leading up to the presidential election starting in 2010.

The scandal led to several congressional and departmental investigations and hearings, and the resignation of many top officers, including the former director of the IRS.

The actual screening of those groups took place at IRS offices in downtown Cincinnati with oversight coming from several Washington officials.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose agency led the legal defense of the IRS and the settlement talks, said Thursday that "there was no excuse for this conduct." He said that the practices were conducted "during the last Administration" and that steps had been taken to make sure it didn't happen again.

"We hope that today's settlement makes clear that this abuse of power will not be tolerated," Sessions said in a statement.

The IRS didn't apologize in the other case, initially brought by the NorCal Tea Party from California. That was turned into a class-action lawsuit with 428 members in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati.

The agency instead agreed to a tentative settlement worth "in the seven figures," according to the lead lawyer for the tea party groups. Kansas City lawyer Edward Greim said he couldn't reveal specifics until final judicial approval.

"Each group will receive thousands of dollars if this is finalized," Greim said. "And even though we didn't get an apology, we take great satisfaction away from this settlement – a very generous settlement.

"But the IRS is still saying this was mismanagement and didn't go on as long as we have proven it did, and they need to come to terms with that."

That suit included depositions by several key figures in the scandal, and details of those depositions became public earlier this year, painting the agency in a negative light.

Those deposed included IRS officials Lois Lerner and Holly Paz, considered to be at the heart of the scandal.

That testimony was sealed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett after a government request because of a fear of reprisals against the two women.

The Enquirer on Wednesday filed a motion asking for that seal to be lifted, and that matter remains pending. Plaintiff attorney Greim said he and his clients also want the depositions unsealed.