Freedom Caucus argues for impeaching IRS chief one day before vote

Members of the House Freedom Caucus made their case for impeaching IRS Commissioner John Koskinen the night before the House is expected to vote on an impeachment resolution.

“John Koskinen should no longer hold office,” Freedom Caucus Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said. “John Koskinen should no longer be the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service.”

Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) on Tuesday gave notice on his privileged resolution to impeach Koskinen, and the House has to act on the measure no later than Thursday. The House could vote on the substance of the resolution or vote to table the measure or refer it to the House Judiciary Committee.

Fleming said Wednesday that while he does not know what exactly the vote will be, “any vote short of impeachment of the IRS commissioner would be a vote against impeachment.”

House Republicans are set to meet Thursday morning to discuss the resolution. Some Republican lawmakers have said that they would prefer that impeachment go through the Judiciary Committee.

Members of the Freedom Caucus argue that Koskinen should be impeached because he did not comply with a subpoena and made false statements under oath during a House investigation into the IRS’s handling of conservative groups’ applications for tax-exempt status.

They also said that Congress has a duty to serve as a check on the executive branch.

“This is not just a vote to remove one man from office,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.). “It is a vote for or against the rule of law itself. It’s a vote for or against maintaining our internal system of checks and balances. It will be a vote for or against accountability for our public officials and transparency in our government.”

Koskinen, who started his job after the political targeting was revealed, has said the allegations against him lack merit. Democrats back the IRS Commissioner.

Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, told reporters Wednesday that “this impeachment is totally unprecedented and is totally contrary to due process.”

He said it would be “disgraceful if the leadership allows this to proceed.”

The Professional Managers Association (PMA), which represents managers at the IRS and other federal agencies, lent its support to Koskinen on Tuesday.

“Commissioner Koskinen, who chose to forgo enjoying his retirement to “volunteer” to work in service of the American people, has done an outstanding job despite the difficult challenges he has faced,” PMA Executive Director Tom Burger said in a statement. “These politically-motived attacks on the integrity of the IRS workforce and its leaders only serve to chip away at the American public’s faith in the agency’s ability to effectively run the tax system as we know it.”