House panel to again consider IRS commissioner impeachment

The second House Judiciary Committee hearing to consider whether IRS Commissioner John Koskinen should be impeached will take place on June 22.

{mosads}A committee spokeswoman informed The Hill of the misconduct hearing date on Monday without explicitly using the word “impeachment.” 

Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) argued at a hearing last month that Koskinen should be impeached because he failed to comply with a subpoena and made false statements under oath during Congress’s investigation into 2013 revelations that the agency was subjecting conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status to additional scrutiny.

Outside experts are expected to comment at next week’s hearing on the findings from the first round and recommend if they think Congress should take additional action. 

The names of the witnesses will be announced at a later date, the Judiciary Committee spokeswoman said.

It is unclear what action Congress will take after next week’s hearing. Chaffetz introduced a resolution to impeach Koskinen last fall, and he has said he hopes Congress votes on it. The Utah Republican has also introduced a resolution to censure Koskinen, which he has called a precursor to impeachment.

But there are obstacles to removing Koskinen from his position. Congress faces a short legislative calendar because it is an election year. And if the House votes to impeach Koskinen, two-thirds of the Senate would need to follow suit to oust him. Not all Republican lawmakers support impeachment.

The hearings came about after members of the House Freedom Caucus told Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) they would force a floor vote on an impeachment resolution if hearings were not held.

Koskinen was invited to testify at last month’s hearing but did not attend, saying he did not have enough time to prepare. He argued in a written statement to the committee that the allegations against him lack merit, and he said he was willing to testify before the committee in the future. Koskinen has vowed to finish his term despite the impeachment push.