WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service official who publicly revealed that the agency targeted tea party groups has been replaced.
Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa and two congressional aides say that Lois Lerner has been placed on administrative leave. One aide says the career civil servant will be paid.
Lerner proclaimed her innocence of any wrongdoing to a House committee on Wednesday. Lerner oversaw the IRS unit that was targeting conservative groups.
A report by a Treasury inspector general says Lerner learned in June 2011 that IRS workers in Cincinnati were giving tough reviews to conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. She revealed the wrongdoing this month, and is the third IRS official to step aside since then.
The aides spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity to describe a personnel matter.
