A Kick in the Teeth to our First Amendment Rights

"What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector?" Mark Twain once asked. "The taxidermist takes only your skin."

In recent months, the mood in Washington has given us few reasons to think otherwise. Last year, we learned that law-abiding Americans were being bullied by the IRS due to their political leanings. At the expense of our First Amendment Rights, bureaucrats were working to silence conservative individuals and organizations around the country. Whether it is the IRS, EPA, or Department of Education, our government is becoming bigger and more aggressive each day.

Who was really behind the IRS scheme? This is a question Congress has been trying to find out, but all along the way, the Obama Administration has stonewalled Congress. Worst of all, Lois Lerner, one of the directors at the IRS, refused to answer questions when she was called to Capitol Hill. Last month, with my support the House of Representatives held Lerner in contempt of Congress for her conduct.

Making matters worse, Congress recently learned that the IRS lost several years worth of Lerner's e-mails. The IRS claims that this was a mishap due to a computer crash. Making things even harder to believe, we find out that e-mails from six other individuals being investigated have also vanished.

The writing is on the wall. It is appearing more and more that the American people and Congress have been lied to by our government. The IRS has been turned into another government bully used to silence the President's critics. With this kick in the teeth to our First Amendment rights, the President and his Administration have seriously violated our trust.

Rest assured, Congress will do everything in its power to bring Lois Lerner and the IRS to justice. What they have done is un-American, and it has no place in our government.