Washington Report: More Questions on IRS and Benghazi

 

Each year, I hear from thousands of Nebraskans with questions, concerns, opinions, and ideas about the federal government.  In my conversations with constituents it is clear many are losing confidence in their government.  Along with Obamacare, unanswered questions regarding the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya and political targeting by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are contributing to this growing distrust.

The American people remain concerned four of their countrymen, including our Ambassador to Libya, were killed at our diplomatic mission in Benghazi.  More than a year and a half later, many questions remain. 

Shortly after the attack, the House of Representatives launched a thorough investigation through the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence.  While I strongly supported this investigation, the time has come for the next phase in the process.

The House of Representatives voted this week to form a special committee to investigate the attack.  The new committee will be made up of Republicans and Democrats with enhanced subpoena and deposition powers and charged with finding the facts.

The House also acted this past week to advance the investigation of IRS targeting of groups because of their political beliefs.  I am a member of the Committee on Ways and Means which has jurisdiction for the tax code and the IRS.  The committee has collected hundreds of thousands of documents related to this case and has found compelling evidence the agency acted outside of its authority to target conservative organizations.  However, we need more cooperation from the IRS and the White House.

I recently joined my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee in referring former IRS official Lois Lerner to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution.  This week, the House voted to hold Ms. Lerner in contempt of Congress for her refusal to testify about her role in or her knowledge of political targeting at the IRS.  The House also voted to ask the Department of Justice to appoint a special counsel to investigate this case.

Getting to the bottom of these two cases is critical to restoring the faith and trust of the American people.  As we move forward, I hope all sides will put politics aside and work together objectively to conduct these investigations in the best interest of the American people.
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Sincerely,

ADRIAN SMITH
Member of Congress