Three IRS Officials Linked To Tea Party Scandal To Face House Panel

Obama administration has denied targeting conservative-leaning groups

(Reuters) - Three Internal Revenue Service officials enmeshed in the Tea Party controversy will face lawmakers for the first time this week to testify in a case that triggered a partisan fight over how the agency reviews applicants for tax exemption.

The House of Representatives committee looking into the practices of the federal tax-collection agency will question a Cincinnati-based IRS employee who was in charge of examining Tea Party-linked applications and two Washington IRS officials who played a role in overseeing her work.

Political tensions flared two months ago when a Washington IRS official acknowledged that the agency gave extra scrutiny to conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status.