Policy

Obama Says the Acting IRS Commissioner Has Resigned

That's a start

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President Barack Obama vowed Wednesday to hold accountable those at the Internal Revenue Service involved in the targeting of conservative groups applying for federal tax-exempt status, beginning with the resignation of the agency's acting commissioner.

In a brief statement delivered to reporters at the East Room of the White House, the president announced that Treasury Secretary Jack Lew requested—and accepted—the resignation of acting IRS Commissioner Steve Miller.

The president said the "misconduct" detailed in the IRS Inspector General's report released Tuesday over the singling out of conservative groups is "inexcusable."

"Americans have a right to be angry about, and I'm angry about it," Obama said.

The president said new safeguards will be put in place so that "this doesn't happen again."