According to the conservative government accountability group
Judicial Watch, email exchanges between Lerner and Nikole C. Flax, the
Chief of Staff to then-Acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller, reveal
there were discussions about possible prosecution of tax-exempt groups
that were believed to have “lied” about political activities.
- May 8, 2013: Lerner to Flax
I got a call today from Richard Pilger Director Elections Crimes Branch at DOJ … He wanted to know who at IRS the DOJ folks could talk to about [Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon] Whitehouse idea at the hearing that DOJ could piece together false statement cases about applicants who “lied” on their 1024s — saying they weren’t planning on doing political activity, and then turning around and making large visible political expenditures. DOJ is feeling like it needs to respond, but want to talk to the right folks at IRS to see whether there are impediments from our side and what, if any damage this might do to IRS programs.
I told him that sounded like we might need several folks from IRS …
- May 9, 2013: Flax to Lerner
I think we should do it — also need to include CI [Criminal Investigation Division],
