The I.R.S. scandal continues to dominate headlines in Washington. Last week, Congress held the first hearing into the Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups for unwarranted scrutiny. Over a series of hearings, the House Ways and Means Committee will question current and former officials about the screening of applications for tax-exempt status.
But it may be criminal charges that the Agency has to worry about most. Attorney General Eric Holder told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that he has ordered a criminal investigation into whether civil rights statutes were violated or false-statement violations were made in an attempt to cover-up.
Law professor Peter Henning, contributor to our partner The New York Times and author of “The Prosecution and Defense of Public Corruption: The Law & Legal Strategies,” explains what criminal charges the I.R.S. might face.