The House has turned aside an effort by conservatives to impeach IRS Commissioner John Koskinen (KAHS’-kihn-ihn).
Conservatives have long wanted to remove Koskinen. They say he obstructed a congressional investigation into IRS mistreatment of tea party groups, charges that Koskinen has denied.
After agreeing to not force a vote on the issue during this year’s political campaigns, conservatives renewed their effort Tuesday, days before Congress plans to adjourn for the year.
But the House voted 342-72 to refer the impeachment resolution to the House Judiciary Committee. That in effect will prevent a Senate impeachment trial and kill the effort for now because of Congress’ upcoming adjournment.
Many Republicans opposed the effort. They say it would slow President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda and let Democrats accuse the GOP of being relentlessly partisan.
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That’s okay. If we can ignore the Emolument Clause, the next Congress can stop paying attention to that silly prohibition on bills of attainder and give this terrible, terrible man what he deserves!
This whole kerfluffel came about because of a campaign finance law that came into effect at the very same time the Tea Party arose. The Tea Party was actually a dispersed commercial enterprise engaged in by thousands. Form your little group, go out looking for donations, especially from rich people, and get paid to be an activist. If not paid directly then have your expenses paid and appear to be a player among the vast swarms of ditto heads and talk radio addicted partisans. There were some rules like your group was supposed to only be for education and information and was not supposed to directly support candidates. Of course they all supported GOP candidates, many not even bothering to try and hide it with some fig leaves. The IRS was tasked by the law to oversee that these ‘informational’ groups were not actual campaign groups. If it was determined they were then the lost their tax exempt status.
There was nothing on the Dem side like it, The IRS in doing it’s job questioned the legitimacy of many Tea Party entrepreneurs. Legitimacy vis a vis the campaign finance law that is. The IRS really stepped in it by trying to enforce the law. It wasn’t worth the effort.
They probably figure that the IRS chief is a small fry with insufficient hatred stirred up against him. They will wait till they need to satisfy the mob with a guillotine and them pull this out of committee.
“let Democrats accuse the GOP of being relentlessly partisan…”
Duh!
FFS. Heaven forfend they should risk even the appearance of such a thing.