IRS counsel will face government watchdog group Judicial Watch in court today and will be required to explain the "loss" of former IRS official Lois Lerner's emails in front of a judge.

Judicial Watch has been pursuing information about IRS targeting of tea party groups since last year. Despite current lawsuits against the agency, IRS officials failed to disclose why, when and how emails were lost to the court and to Judicial Watch attorneys.



"These emails could be critical to getting to the bottom of the IRS scandal where Tea Party and other conservative group applications were illegally delayed by the IRS," the group released in a statement. "In addition, Lois Lerner had communicated with Department of Justice officials to see if it was possible to prosecute these groups."

The hearing will take place at U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. at 11 a.m.