http://twitter.com/#!/CostantiniNBC/status/341530628665245698

Bad news for White House sycophants: according to Rep. Darrell Issa, not only did the Obama administration not learn about the IRS targeting conservatives from the news, but it may have played a role in directing the IRS’ actions.

In advance of Thursday’s House hearing on IRS spending, Issa has released transcripts from Oversight Committee interviews with “low-level” Cincinnati IRS employees. The witnesses’ statements point to a coordinated effort between the White House and the IRS to go after conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status.

http://twitter.com/#!/MelissaTweets/status/341526620563177472
http://twitter.com/#!/hale_razor/status/341527941580222464

From the House Oversight Committee’s press release:

Q: So is it your perspective that ultimately the responsible parties for the decisions that were reported by the IG are not in the Cincinnati office?
A: I don’t know how to answer that question.  I mean, from an agent standpoint, we didn’t do anything wrong.  We followed directions based on other people telling us what to do.
Q: And you ultimately followed directions from Washington; is that correct?
A: If direction had come down from Washington, yes.
Q: But with respect to the particular scrutiny that was given to Tea Party applications, those directions emanated from Washington; is that right?
A: I believe so.

http://twitter.com/#!/OBAMA_CZAR/status/341616946179096576

Testimony also suggests the unlikelihood that the IRS’ actions were carried out by a couple of “rogue” agents:

Q: So what do you think about this, that allegation has been made, I think as you have seen in lots of press reports, that there were two rogue agents in Cincinnati that are sort of responsible for all of the issues that we have been talking about today.  What do you think about those allegations?
[…]
A:  It’s impossible.  As an agent we are controlled by many, many people.  We have to submit many, many reports.  So the chance of two agents being rogue and doing things like that could never happen.

This is echoed in Friday’s CNN report that there may be at least 88 IRS employees involved in the scandal.

http://twitter.com/#!/OBAMA_CZAR/status/341616717350436865

More damning testimony suggests what many of us have long suspected: that “low-level” IRS employees are being set up as scapegoats to protect the guilty parties in Washington who are pulling the strings:

Q: And you’ve heard, I’m sure, news reports about individuals here in Washington saying this is a problem that was originated in and contained in the Cincinnati office, and that it was the Cincinnati office that was at fault.  What is your reaction to those types of stories?
[…]
A: Well, it’s hard to answer the question because in my mind I still hear people saying we were low‑level employees, so we were lower than dirt, according to people in D.C.  So, take it for what it is.  They were basically throwing us underneath the bus.

As we reported earlier, Obama henchman David Plouffe is desperately trying to run interference for Washington by going after Issa for pursuing the truth about the IRS scandal.

Issa: We have sworn depositions from witnesses who say IRS scandal came from White House

David Plouffe: Ooooo tough guy

#WinningArgument— S.M (@redsteeze) June 03, 2013

http://twitter.com/#!/Doc_0/status/341520751091920900

And media lapdogs are dutifully lamenting the investigations as “overreach” and directing their outrage at Issa.

But while they’re busy spinning, feverishly throwing darts at a wall of blame, citizens are keeping their eyes open to true government overreach.

http://twitter.com/#!/esqcapades/status/341604466715402240

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2013/06/03/throwing-us-under-the-bus-issa-releases-transcripts-that-suggest-irs-targeting-was-deliberate/