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Collins: Obama Should Apologize for IRS

'I don't buy this was a couple rogue IRS employees'

Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) concurred with Friday's Washington Post editorial rebuking the Obama Administration for failing to apologize for the actions of the IRS Sunday on "State of the Union."

Collins noted the lack of liberal verbiage used as criteria by the IRS when targeting particular groups lends support to allegations of politicization.

The Maine senator also blasted IRS leadership for failing to be forthcoming in alerting Congress to the problem:

CANDY CROWLEY: [...] In sort of reiterating what you said The Washington Post editorial said "it was appalling to learn friday that the IRS improperly targeted conservative groups for scrutiny. It was almost as disturbing President Obama and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew have not personally apologized to the American people and promised a full investigation." Public apology needed here?

SUSAN COLLINS: Absolutely. And I don't buy this was a couple rogue IRS employees. After all, groups with progressive in their names were not targeted similarly. There's evidence that higher level supervisors were aware of this. And the IRS was not forthcoming in telling Congress about the problem. If it had been just a small group of employees, then you would think that the high level IRS supervisors would have rushed to make this public, fired the employees involved and apologize to the American people and informed Congress. None of that happened in a timely way.