Obama to meet with Treasury officials over IRS targeting of conservative groups

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will discuss the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew Wednesday afternoon. White House press secretary Jay Carney says Obama expects people to be held accountable.

The meeting comes in the aftermath of an investigation by a Treasury inspector general that found that the IRS, in examining applications for tax exempt status, improperly selected conservative groups for further review.

Also part of the Wednesday discussion will be Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin. Lew was to participate by phone because he was out of town observing the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

Carney sidestepped a question about whether Obama still had confidence in Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, saying he wouldn’t discuss personnel matters. He said Obama has expressed his overall view that IRS personnel had acted inappropriately.

“He wants to see that the actions taken, as revealed by the Treasury report, that are inappropriate, are met with consequences,” Carney said. “He will make clear to Treasury Department leaders that he expects action.”

Carney says Obama wants the public to “understand and believe that the IRS applies our tax laws in a neutral and fair way to everyone.”