IRS Illegally Gave Taxpayer Data To The FBI In 2010, Republicans Say

The IRS sent the FBI a huge database containing sensitive taxpayer information on nonprofit conservative groups, possibly in violation of federal law, House Republicans allege. The lawmakers claim the transfer was part of an intentional effort to potentially probe the organizations for illegal campaign activities.

The IRS confirmed the data leak, but FBI officials were unaware of it being used in any investigations. Oversight and Government Reform Committee members on Monday said they were notified by the Justice Department last week about the privacy breach, which occurred in 2010. It is not clear whether the IRS knew the records were confidential at the time.

“This revelation that the IRS sent 1.1 million pages of nonprofit tax-return data – including confidential taxpayer information – to the FBI confirms suspicions that the IRS worked with the Justice Department to facilitate the potential investigation of nonprofit groups engaged in lawful political speech," the lawmakers wrote on Monday, in a letter to the IRS commissioner seeking more information about the matter...