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Optimistic about where were headed as a nation especially after all weve been through during the past several years and that should encourage us all to work even harder on the issues that matter to you. >> the presidents message comes just a day after the outgoing irs commissioner faced a grueling day on capitol hill. lawmakers in the house grilled steve miller for answers as to why the irs targeted tea party groups seek tax-exempt status. >> who is responsible for targeting these groups? >> so ...

By the irs had nothing to do with partisanship. lets listen. >> as acting commissioner, i want to apologize on behalf of the internal revenue service for the mistakes that we made and the poor service we provided. i think that what happened here was that foolish mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient in their workload selection. the listing described in the report, while intolerable, was a mistake and not an act of partisanship. >> congressman reichart, i respect everything you...

Now. harassment implies political motivation. there is a discussion going on. there is no political motivation. >> let me ask it again. >> may i answer the question, sir? >> im going help you give some clarity here. heres the question you were asked, what kind of letter or action is being taking place at this time that you are aware of? >> so the discussion of the context of that and again we need to go back and look at the context, there was the listing, there was the treatment of the cases. my...

Term. >> listen to the now ousted acting commissioner of the irs testifying today. ill play a little clip. >> i think that what happened here was that foolish mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient in their work load selection. the listing described in the report while intolerable was a mistake. and not an act of partisanship. >> is that argument going to work? >> god bless him for standing up for his friends and colleagues at the irs but that was the ultimate bureaucratic answ...

Clearly it was congressional interest in this issue, press reports, and are you saying he was not informed of this? >> so lets divide the world to a couple of pieces here. the list that was used and there was the processing of the cases. at that time, we were aware there were issues in the processing of the cases, we were not aware of the list. i asked in late march, after the hearing i believe, for to us go in, take a look, because i thought there were problems in processing the cases, they cam...

Full force, its full might to harass and intimidate and threaten an average american who only wants her voice and their voices heard? mr. miller, who in the irs is responsible for targeting conservative organizations? >> sir, let me first say i cannot speak to a given case and that weve talked about 6103, but thats -- >> this is not just one case. you know we are talking about the whole list the inspector general put up there. >> correct. >> who is responsible for targeting these groups? >> so a...

Statement before i take your questions. first and foremost, as acting commissioner i want to apologize on behalf of the internal revenue service for the mistakes we made and poor services we provided. the american public deserve better. partisanship or the perception of partshisanship has no place the irs. it cant even appear to have a role in determining tax exempt status in the organization. i dont believe politics motivated the people engaged in the treasury inspector generals report. i belie...

Targeting conservative organizations? >> so let me first say i cannot speak to a given case. and we have talked about 60103. >> this is not just one case. you know we are talking about the whole list inspector general put up there. >> correct. >> who is responsible for targeting these groups? >> so, again, im going to take -- im going to take exception to the concept of targeting because its a loaded term. the listing was done -- >> -- this was not a listing. you created a be on the lookout list...

When dealing with these tax-exempt groups. as we look at this, remember the time frame, 2010 through 2012. that spans two national elections cycles. martha: what were hearing here this morning is the argument from the irs that the reason for all of this was, quote, a lack of leadership, and this idea to target these conservative groups was simply an effort after citizens united to cull through the thousands and thousands of applications that they had for tax-exempt status and that this was simpl...

Harrassment part of that discussion implies political motivation. there is a discussion going on. theres no political motivation. >> let me ask you again. >> may i answer, the question, sir. >> i will help you, give you some clarity here. here is the question you were asked. what kind of letter or action is being taken place at this time that you are aware of? >> so the discussion of the context of that, and again, we need to go back and look at the context, there was the listing. there was the ...