IRS scandal update: conservative conspiracy?

The government has faced scandal after scandal lately, but the fastest to die down was the IRS “targeting” scandal. The “targeting” was IRS use of conservative terms as search words to single out left-leaning groups applying for tax-exempt status. But since news came out this Monday that the IRS used liberal words like “progressive” and “occupy” as search terms as well, the controversy has disappeared.

Most of the sensationalist news on the scandal came from conservative sources—like Fox News, which is now trying to downplay the scandal. The Fox News article, at Fox News, draws support from sources like Republican Representative Kevin Brady, who claims that the latest “report is a sham.”

Another source, Investigator General J. Russell George, is cited saying that liberal applicants were not delayed in obtaining tax-exempt status, while conservative applicants were. But according to the Associated Press, progressive groups complained of identical delays.

Furthermore, the IG limited the scope of his research because House Oversight Chairman and Republican Darrell Issa asked him “to narrowly focus on Tea Party organizations,” reports The Hill.

Notably, since the latest facts have come to light, Fox has not made any more allusions to the Watergate scandal—see, for example, FoxNews.com—nor has President Obama been referenced in connection with the actions of the IRS. Fox doesn’t even acknowledge the most damaging news: 200 of the 300 targeted groups were found with liberal search terms. Reports that Issa cherrypicked which investigation transcripts to release probably didn’t help.

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