House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz on Wednesday introduced a resolution to censure IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, who has battled GOP lawmakers for months over how he has run the tax collection agency.
The resolution “offers congressional condemnation and disapproval of Mr. Koskinen for a pattern of conduct inconsistent with the trust and confidence placed in him as an Officer of the United States.”
The resolution will urges Koskinen to resign, and calls for him to be stripped of his pension. “The resolution seeks Commissioner Koskinen’s resignation or removal, and requires the forfeiture of his pension,” Chaffetz said.
The move by Chaffetz to censure Koskinen comes ahead of a House Judiciary Committee hearing scheduled for May 24 that will examine potential misconduct by Koskinen.
Republican lawmakers have long believed Koskinen withheld information about missing IRS emails related to the agency’s targeting of conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. Republicans say Koskinen didn’t testify truthfully about former IRS employee Lois Lerner’s involvement in that scandal.
Republican lawmakers have also clashed with Koskinen over IRS customer service and the agency’s failure to protect tax filers from hackers.
“Mr. Koskinen must be held accountable for his misconduct,” Chaffetz said. “I am committed to using every tool at my disposal to hold Mr. Koskinen responsible for his offenses toward Congress and toward the American people. I view censure as a precursor to impeachment as it allows the House the opportunity to formally condemn Mr. Koskinen.”
Read the resolution here:
