“Right now, there’s a reason to fear the IRS and other agencies, including the EPA, who are loaded with people who feel empowered to bend the rules against those they disagree with.”

Issa has been investigating the IRS ever since Lois Lerner’s apology in May of 2013.  The investigation has looked into claims that conservative groups being singled out for undue scrutiny, in order to withhold tax exempt status, that would have allowed them to collect contributions and use them in the 2012 election.  

The Oversight Committee has issued an interim report on that investigation.  The report confirms that from documents received and sworn testimony, that there was indeed preferential treatment in awarding tax exempt status favoring left wing groups.  The report shows that the timeline between White House rhetoric and the targeting of conservative groups coincided.

The report also documents Democrats in congress urging the IRS to target conservatives even more harshly.  These include Dick Durbin and Max Bauchus.  Seven Democratic US senators wrote the IRS and demanded even more action.  Those seven senators were Senators Charles E. Schumer, Michael Bennet, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, Tom Udall, Jeanne Shaheen and Al Franken. Their letter appears here.

After the revelations appeared about the various alleged improprieties , several of these senators took a lead role in condemning the IRS, including Bauchus and Sheehan, who could see the IRS was becoming toxic and didn’t want people remembering their role in the proceedings.

Issa is also warning about the NSA surveillance program.  In the vote on the Amash Amendment, Issa voted against it.  He is now trying to revive that vote based on what he has learned through his committee’s investigation.  This time, he vows to vote for the Amendment.