Cleta Mitchell: DOJ Should Prosecute John Koskinen

The Justice Department should prosecute IRS chief John Koskinen for lying to Congress — just like the Bush administration Justice Department went after Yankees ace Roger Clemens for the same offense, lawyer Cleta Mitchell says.

In an interview on C-SPAN Monday, the lawyer who represents conservative groups unfairly targeted by the IRS, weighed in on an impeachment resolution Republicans have filed against the tax agency's commissioner. 

"It's important for the institution of Congress to ensure that officials [who] come before them, who mislead or lie to Congress and congressional committees in testimony, I think it's really important for Congress to hold those people accountable," she said.

Mitchell added "there was a scandal here, and John Koskinen testified multiple times to Congress falsely."

"He falsely testified, and he allowed and really presided over destruction of important evidence about the source of this targeting scandal," she said.

Mitchell pointed out a similar case involving the New York Yankee's pitcher.

"Congress sent a letter when Roger Clemens … testified before the Oversight and Government Reform Committee when the Democrats had control of Congress, and he testified about the use of steroids, he said he didn't use steroids," she said.

She noted at that time California's then-Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman "sent a letter to the Justice Department, the Bush Justice Department, and said you should prosecute him because he lied, and the Department of Justice prosecuted Roger Clemens, not once but twice, because the first trial ended in a mistrial and a hung jury."

"John Koskinen has lied to Congress, and this is very important, and I think Congress needs to do something about it, because it is clear that the Department of Justice under this president is not going to do anything about it," she charged.

According to Mitchell, in March 2014, the commissioner testified he'd turn all of Lerner's emails over, but "we learned in a letter that … some have been lost. Then it said it was all lost."

"Turns out they have not all been lost… just been erased… on John Koskinen's watch."

Related Stories:

• Conservatives in Congress Urge IRS Shutdown
• Republicans Pass More Anti-IRS Legislation During Tax Week