The IRS responded to a Republican request for an investigation into the Clinton Foundation’s tax-exempt status with a one-page form letter that starts with “Dear Sir or Madam.”
In May, more than 50 House Republicans asked the IRS to review the Clinton Foundation’s tax-exempt status, after it became clear that the foundation had failed to report millions of dollars in grants from foreign governments.
That letter, led by Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, said a review was “appropriate” given that this money was accepted and not reported while Hillary Clinton was serving as secretary of state.
In response, the IRS sent Blackburn a form letter, which Blackburn received late Wednesday. The letter thanked her for submitting the request, and said the IRS has an “ongoing examination program” to ensure tax-exempt groups comply with tax law.
“The information you submitted will be considered in this program,” it said. The letter was from Margaret Von Lienen, director of exempt organizations examinations, but she didn’t sign it.
Blackburn said the perfunctory response is far below the level of customer service members of Congress should be getting.
“The IRS response is not acceptable and lacking in the requisite tact that should accompany a congressional inquiry,” she said. “It is unbelievably disrespectful that Margaret Von Lienen couldn’t even take the few extra seconds needed to sign the letter.”
“It begs the question – do they even take our request seriously? This is exactly why people don’t trust the IRS,” she added, noting that 51 of her colleagues took the time to ask a series of questions that deserve an answer.
“We’d expect officials at the IRS, who also work for and are paid by the U.S. taxpayer, to take the same care and effort in crafting a response to our inquiry,” she said. “The allegations swirling around the Clinton Foundation are very serious and raise issues of great public importance.”
