The latest official called to testify before [House Oversight] committee investigators is an important one: IRS chief counsel William Wilkins. Wilkins is one of just two political appointees at the IRS, a generous donor to Democratic candidates and causes, and once represented Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ. Evidence of his involvement in the targeting would spell trouble for the White House and bring renewed focus to a scandal that has largely receded from public consciousness. (snip)

One of only two political appointees at the IRS, a generous Democrat donor, at the IRS is relying on purported memory failure to evade testifying on embarrassing and potentially incriminating activities related to the targeting of Tea Party groups. Eliana Johnson of NRO writes:

I incline toward the former explanation. The media are cooperating in ignoring the heinous abuse of the IRS by the Obama administration. One of the articles of impeachment of Richard Nixon that Hillary Clinton helped draft was his purported use of the IRS against his political opponents. Sauce for the goose ought to be sauce for the gander, and if Mrs. Clinton does run for the presidency, she ought to be asked about the gravity of IRS politicization.

"In your testimony, you stated 'I don't recall' a staggering 80 times in full or partial response to the Committee's questions," committee chairman Darrell Issa and Ohio representative Jim Jordan wrote. "Your failure to recollect important aspects of the Committee's investigation suggests either a deliberate attempt to obfuscate your involvement in this matter or gross incompetence on your part."

The most pertinent subject on which Wilkins's memory failed him was the nature of his communications with Treasury Department officials: in particular, whether he discussed the applications of tea-party groups with anybody at the Treasury Department, whether he discussed with Treasury Department officials regulatory guidance for 501(c)(4) entities engaged in political activities, and whether he discussed with them the inspector general's report that blew the lid off of the targeting scandal in mid May.

One of only two political appointees at the IRS, a generous Democrat donor, at the IRS is relying on purported memory failure to evade testifying on embarrassing and potentially incriminating activities related to the targeting of Tea Party groups. Eliana Johnson of NRO writes:

The latest official called to testify before [House Oversight] committee investigators is an important one: IRS chief counsel William Wilkins. Wilkins is one of just two political appointees at the IRS, a generous donor to Democratic candidates and causes, and once represented Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ. Evidence of his involvement in the targeting would spell trouble for the White House and bring renewed focus to a scandal that has largely receded from public consciousness. (snip) The most pertinent subject on which Wilkins's memory failed him was the nature of his communications with Treasury Department officials: in particular, whether he discussed the applications of tea-party groups with anybody at the Treasury Department, whether he discussed with Treasury Department officials regulatory guidance for 501(c)(4) entities engaged in political activities, and whether he discussed with them the inspector general's report that blew the lid off of the targeting scandal in mid May.

Chairman Darrel Issa is not amused at the memory difficulties:

"In your testimony, you stated 'I don't recall' a staggering 80 times in full or partial response to the Committee's questions," committee chairman Darrell Issa and Ohio representative Jim Jordan wrote. "Your failure to recollect important aspects of the Committee's investigation suggests either a deliberate attempt to obfuscate your involvement in this matter or gross incompetence on your part."

I incline toward the former explanation. The media are cooperating in ignoring the heinous abuse of the IRS by the Obama administration. One of the articles of impeachment of Richard Nixon that Hillary Clinton helped draft was his purported use of the IRS against his political opponents. Sauce for the goose ought to be sauce for the gander, and if Mrs. Clinton does run for the presidency, she ought to be asked about the gravity of IRS politicization.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky