Former Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner talked with Justice Department officials about seeking criminal prosecutions of tax-exempt groups that didn’t fully disclose their political activities, according to emails released on Wednesday. The conservative-leaning Judicial Watch said it got the documents through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The revelation was getting a lot of attention on Wednesday. A top GOP lawmaker issued a statement pointing out that the documents show federal officials were bending to pressure from elected Democrats in going after conservative groups.