Lois Lerner, the IRS official who in May acknowledged that the agency wrongly targeted conservative groups, which were applying for a tax exemption status, retired from the agency effective Monday, Politico reported. When the IRS scandal hit, Lerner had been placed on administrative leave.
Lerner, who invoked her 5th amendment privileges at the House Oversight Government Reform Committee was found for mismanaging her department and being "neglectful of duty."
"I have not done anything wrong,I have not broken any laws. I have not violated any IRS rules or regulations, and I have not provided false information to this or any other committee," she said at the May 22 hearing. She also pleaded the 5th Amendment.
House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrel Issa said that Lerner's retirement "does not alter the Oversight Committee's interest in understanding why applicants for tax exempt status were targeted and inappropriately treated because of their political beliefs. Her departure does not answer these questions or diminish the Committee's interest in hearing her testimony," he said in a statement.
It is been reported that it is likely Lerner will be allowed to keep her pension plan because she has chosen to retire, Politico also reported.
House Republicans has blamed the extra scrutiny to conservative groups largely because of politicial motivations. The IRS and an independent inspector general said those claims were unfounded. President Obama said if proven to be true, it would be constituted as "outrageous."
The IRS said in a statement on Monday it has taken "decisive actions to correct failures in exempt organizations management."
