IRS leaks of personal information will likely be the focus of future House hearings as the scope of an investigation into the agency's targeting of conservatives widens, according to a Republican congressman.
"The information that the IRS has on file on people goes pretty deep into personal lives," Republican Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, a member of the key investigating House Ways and Means Committee,
told Breitbart in an interview.
"It is being leaked out and given to people for very specific political reasons. I think this is something that should be the most chilling thing for Americans to understand," Kelly said.
John Eastman, chairman of the National Organization for Marriage, told the panel last month that the IRS disclosed tax documents revealing his group's donors, including Mitt Romney's Political Action Committee (PAC).
The organization opposes gay marriage, and Eastman said their donor's list appeared on the
website of the Human Rights Campaign, a group that supports same-sex marriage.
"There were donor lists that were leaked out. Highly, highly sensitive and private information was leaked out," Kelly said.
"This is a branch of government, and it is under the executive branch that can be used for a lot of different intimidation elements," Kelly said.
"Think of what these people have, think of what they have on everybody. If they leak that out to the right person at the right time in the right movement that's looking to do something, they can completely destroy individuals," Kelly said.
Several Senate Republicans in May demanded that the IRS inspector general widen his investigation to include the leaks of confidential information on groups
including Crossroads GPS, a super PAC associated with Republican strategist Karl Rove.
Kelly told Breitbart that numerous whistle blowers have come forward to share information with committee investigators on IRS operations. The committee will decide how to proceed after that preliminary inquiry.
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