Tax Law Professors Urge House Leaders to Oppose Impeachment Resolution of IRS Commissioner

Enclosed for your information is a letter from 124 tax law professors from all parts of the country sent on August 28, 2016 to House Speaker Ryan, House Democratic Leader Pelosi, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Brady and Ways and Means Committee Ranking Democrat Levin. The letter urges them to oppose any resolution to impeach or censure IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.

According to the letter:

We believe that nothing that has been reported provides any basis for impeachment or censure. Commissioner Koskinen was called out of retirement when the IRS needed help, and responded for the simple reason that it was the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their country.

We respectfully request that the House reject misguided efforts to impeach or censure Commissioner Koskinen, and focus instead on enacting meaningful reforms to our revenue system.

An August 31 op-ed by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer states that the impeachment resolution being pursued by House Freedom Caucus members “alleges a meritless case for impeaching Commissioner Koskinen that is not supported by the facts and that has no constitutional or legal basis.” The op-ed concludes, “House members should exercise their constitutional impeachment power responsibly by voting to defeat any resolution to impeach Commissioner Koskinen.”