ProPublica reports:
The same IRS office that deliberatelytargeted conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status in the run-up to the 2012 election released nine pending confidential applications of conservative groups to ProPublica late last year.
The IRS did not respond to requests Monday following up about that release, and whether it had determined how the applications were sent to ProPublica.
In response to a request for the applications for 67 different nonprofits last November, the Cincinnati office of the IRS sent ProPublica applications or documentation for 31 groups. Nine of those applications had not yet been approved—meaning they were not supposed to be made public. (We made sixof those public, after redacting their financial information, deeming that they were newsworthy.)
UPDATE: The Washington Post reports that the targeting of conservative groups occurred in multiple offices, including Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, the NYT reports the I.R.S. ignored complaints about the potential misuse of tax exempt status by large political oriented groups, including those that were heavily involved in the 2012 campaign. Apparently it was too busy chasing after the Tea Party.
UPDATE: The AP reports Acting IRS Chief Steven Miller failed to disclose the problem to Congress after he was briefed.