Rep. Gosar: New Round of IRS Bonuses Proves No Accountability at Agency

 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, John Koskinen, told agency employees, including senior management employees, earlier this week that they will receive bonuses amidst ongoing IRS scandals:

“The IRS is currently under Congressional investigation. The agency has destroyed hard drives and withheld information from Congress. The House has voted to hold the former supervisor of the IRS division Lois Lerner in contempt. The House passed legislation demanding special counsel be appointed to investigate and prosecute the IRS's targeting of conservative groups and the House passed my bipartisan amendment by a large margin to prohibit bonuses for IRS senior executive service employees for this fiscal year. 

“Despite these ongoing scandals and sanctions, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen is still planning to reward managers and senior executives within this rogue agency with bonuses paid for by taxpayer dollars. This action is a slap in the face to the American people. The IRS needs a dose of reality because in the private sector, people not only don’t get bonuses for corrupt actions, but they are fired as well. 

“There is no accountability at the IRS and this new round of bonuses confirms that fact.  These bonuses defy the will of the House and are unmerited in most instances. Commissioner Koskinen needs to get a clue or he should be the next Obama Administration official to resign.”

 Background:

On July 16, 2014, the House passed an amendment offered by Congressman Gosar prohibiting bonuses for senior executive service employees at the IRS. The amendment passed with a bipartisan vote of 282-138-1, with one member voting present, and was attached to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2015.

According to recent media reports: ““IRS managers will get a similar size bonus — around 1 percent of an employee’s salary base — while awards for senior executives are still being finalized...”

IRS Commissioner, John Koskinen, gave out nearly $63 million in bonuses last year to “boost morale” at the agency.  

 
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