IRS Chief Blames 'Foolish Mistakes', Not Politics

The outgoing chief of the IRS visited Capitol Hill today to take his lumps over the way his agents gave extra scrutiny to conservative groups, reports the Hill. Steven Miller said the "American public deserve better," but insisted that no sinister political motives were at play:

• "I want to apologize on behalf of the Internal Revenue Services for the mistakes that were made," Miller said in his opening statement to the House Ways and Means Committee. "I do not believe partisanship motivated the practices described. ... Foolish mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient."

The panel's Republican chairman, Dave Camp, opened with a sharp attack, reports Politico. “Despite a two-year-long investigation by this committee, the IRS never told the American people or their representatives about this simple truth,” he said. “That isn’t being misleading; that is lying.” Miller, whose resignation takes effect next month, insisted he never misled Congress. President Obama already has picked his replacement. (More Steven Miller stories.)