Senate Targets IRS Probes of Conservatives

WASHINGTON, D.C.: For the first time since Watergate revelations that President Nixon had sought tax audits of his political enemies, the Joint Taxation Committee of Congress today ordered a probe into whether the Clinton IRS is targeting some tax audits for political reasons. This time, the focus of the investigation is audits of conservative nonprofit groups. In recent months, several published reports have claimed the IRS has targeted conservative nonprofits to find if they were engaging in political activities off-limits to nonprofit groups with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The Heritage Foundation, Citizens Against Government Waste and others have confirmed that they were being audited. In a letter signed by both Republican and Democratic leaders that was obtained by the Associated Press, Ways and Means chairman Rep. Bill Archer and Finance Committee chair Senator William Roth said: "We are troubled by recent reports alleging politically motivated treatment of certain tax-exempt organizations and individuals by the Internal Revenue Service." IRS Commissioner Margaret Milner Richardson described the charges as "inaccurate and misleading" while adding that she was delighted to hear of the investigation. The Senate letter, which called for the probe, was also signed by the senior Democrats on the committees, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Congressman Charles Rangel. The committee plans to issue its findings by September 15.