July 9 2013
By Andrew Taylor
WASHINGTON — The GOP-controlled House (click here) unveiled slashing cuts to the budget of the Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday, punishing the beleaguered department after it targeted tea party groups and other nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status.
The agency’s 2014 budget would be cut by $3 billion, or 24 percent below levels approved in March. Also, 10 percent of its budget for tax enforcement would be fenced off until the IRS implements recommendations by an agency watchdog designed to prevent further abuses.
The IRS cuts come after a wave of bad publicity for the agency including questionable spending on conferences like a lavish $4.1 million event in 2010 which included a “Star Trek” video parody and a $17,000 payment to a motivational speaker who was a painter....
