If, as the editorial board suggested in its June 20 editorial "Unfairly targeting the IRS," the GOP is unfairly targeting the Internal Revenue Service commissioner, what could be its reason for doing so? Follow the money. The IRS controls the "dark money" spigot that fills GOP coffers. If the IRS enforced its rules, or fixed its rules where they could not be enforced, or referred what appear to be self-evident false statements by dark-money groups to the Justice Department for investigation, the river of dark money flowing to the GOP might dry up. Keeping the IRS battered, cowed and on its heels makes strategic sense for the GOP.
Sheldon Whitehouse, Washington
The writer, a Democrat, represents
Rhode Island in the Senate.