Why hasn’t IRS director Lois Lerner been fired?

By
Watchdog.org
-
5
3686
Lois Lerner's emails are missing during a critical time period, IRS officials acknowledged Friday (AP photo)
article top
STILL STANDING: Why hasn’t Lois Lerner been fired from her job at the IRS? (AP photo)

By Jason Stverak | Franklin Center

Amidst the firestorm of scandals swirling around the Obama administration, theIRS’ coordinated targeting of conservative groups has perhaps been the most frightening. The use of the IRS–arguably one of the most apolitical branches of government–as a strategic political weapon is a betrayal of Americans’ trust in the most basic functions of government.

Through either gross incompetence or political malfeasance, Lois Lerner, the IRS director of tax exempt groups, allowed her department to target groups that didn’t agree with the Obama administration. Among the litany of questions that remain, one of the most glaring is, “Why hasn’t Lois Lerner been fired yet?” The unfortunate answer: it’s nearly impossible to fire a public employee.

Lerner was asked to resign, but refused and it doesn’t seem like she’ll leave the IRS without a fight. Firing Lerner, or any other federal employee, is extraordinarily difficult because public-sector unions have made it nearly impossible to terminate even the most incompetent of employees. Lerner, as supervisory employee at the IRS, is not eligible for union membership, but of course, the overly generous protections for federal employees that unions argue for are generally carried over to people in upper echelons of management.

Read the rest of the story at Forbes.com

Comments

comments

Previous articleThe dangers of political equivocation
Next articlePushback builds against EPA ethanol mandates
Watchdog.org
Watchdog.org is a collection of independent journalists covering state-specific and local government activity. The program began in September 2009, the brainchild of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting new media journalism. The project provides established investigative journalists with a platform to publish their work. It also affords reporters across the country an opportunity to share information, investigative techniques and resources. By enhancing communication between reporters, the consortium hopes to promote a vibrant 4th Estate, a well-informed electorate and a more transparent government. Watchdog.org utilizes a state-specific approach, in order to provide readers with information that is of proximate and practical interest. Interested parties can contact info@watchdog.org for more information. The Franklin Center is not responsible for the information that appears on the watchdog sites. The organization serves as a capacity builder and networking agent for independent, state-based journalists and organizations. Journalists or organizations interested in joining the watchdog network can contact us at info@franklincenterhq.org

5 COMMENTS

  1. What a nasty piece of work, this Lerner. Pure evil, no wonder Obama picked her to target American citizens he considers his "enemies". She will not be fired but will instead be promoted in reward for her Gestapo bullying.

  3. OK, if this educated country cannot fire someone living off the taxpayer, then let's indict her and send her to prison!!
    I think it is ridiculous to say she cannot be fired, who is in charge of this asylum?

  5. People don't get to those positions without any connections and those connections help you in times like this…

Comments are closed.