Whitfield Statement on IRS Targeting of Tea Party

Kentucky US Rep. Ed Whitfield, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, on Friday released the following statement regarding the IRS’ recent acknowledgement that they targeted conservative groups during last year’s national election.

"The fact that the IRS would target groups based solely on their political persuasions is a shameful abuse of government resources. I join Senator McConnell’s call for a government-wide investigation to ensure that no other agencies under the authority of the Executive Branch are abusing taxpayer dollars by engaging in the political witch hunts like the ones we have seen from the IRS."

The IRS apologized Friday for targeting groups because they included the words "tea party" or "patriot" in their applications for tax-exempt status. The agency - led at the time by a Bush appointee - blamed low-level employees, saying no high-level officials were aware.

Mitch McConnell has called on the White House to investigate. Presidential spokesman Jay Carney says the matter is already being investigated by an inspector general.