Sarah Hall Ingram, the IRS bureaucrat who oversaw the division that targeted tea party and conservative organizations received over $100,000 in bonuses during her tenure. Her biggest bonuses came in the years that the IRS stopped approving for non-profit status groups that had “tea party” in their name. She also received a big promotion last year. How did she merit such bonuses and promotion?
Ingram took over the Tax-Exempt division of the IRS early in 2009. That year, she received a $7,000 bonus. According to Treasury’s Inspector General, the Tax-Exempt division began targeting tea party and conservative organizations in March, 2010. Over the next 2 years, just four conservative groups were approved for non-profit status.
Ingram received bonuses of $34,440 in 2010, $35,400 in 2011 and $26,550 in 2012. Ingram’s bonuses equaled around 20% of her salary. In 2011, the year she received her biggest bonus, just one “tea party” group was approved as a tax-exempt organization.
On what basis was Ingram awarded such large bonuses?
In 2012, the IRS resumed its approval of conservative organizations, after Congressional offices started raising questions about the delays. That same year, Ingram was promoted to head up IRS implementation of ObamaCare. In just a few months, her office will assume broad new powers over more aspects of American’s lives.
The time-old adage in politics is to follow the money. Ingram received very large bonuses at the exact time her employees were targeting conservative organizations. When, under Congressional pressure, the agency ended that practice, she was promoted to a position with vastly more power.
Congress should subpoena her performance evaluations.
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