By Federal Newswire Report
The Functional Government Initiative (FGI) announced it has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking records of billings and payments made to law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP for representing Lois Lerner and Holly Paz, key officials at the center of the IRS political targeting scandal. The lawsuit aims to determine whether taxpayers have been, and possibly still are, footing the legal bills for these officials.
Lois Lerner, former acting IRS Director of Exempt Organizations, and Holly Paz, her top aide and former IRS Director of the Office of Rulings and Agreements, were implicated in the improper targeting of conservative groups for additional scrutiny. This scandal, which first came to light in 2013, led to a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee report, several lawsuit settlements, and an FBI investigation. Despite Lerner appearing to apologize for the misconduct at a meeting of the American Bar Association, she has continued fighting to keep records from the scandal sealed.