I was certainly upset upon hearing of the IRS targeting conservative groups for audits and denying some groups tax-exempt status but the latest revelations make my blood boil.

Chicago Tribune financial reporter Becky Yerak has unearthed documents showing that the IRS paid cash bonuses and time off to employees for jobs well done. I am not opposed to employees being rewarded for good work but I am opposed to employees that have been disciplined for any reason getting rewards. Some of those employees were disciplined for not paying federal income taxes! Imagine, as US taxpaying citizens they don't pay their taxes as you and I do but they get rewarded while you and I would be audited and fined.

J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said,

While not prohibited, providing rewards to employees who have been disciplined for failing to pay federal taxes appears to create a conflict with the IRS' charge of ensuring the integrity of the system of tax administration.

Really Mr. George. 'Appears to create a conflict'...Appears? It doesn't appear anything. It is a conflict and an affront to those of us Americans who actually pay their federal income taxes.

Heaven forbid I should ever be audited but if I were, I think I would be compelled to ask the IRS employee doing the audit to see his or her's previous five years returns. I think it is unconscionable that somebody that might be breaking the law be the person to hold me accountable.

In case you're wondering how much the IRS scofflaws have cost you and me here are some numbers to consider. Just in fiscal 2012 the IRS awarded $86 million dollars in cash and almost 490,000 hours of time off to 67,870 of it's 98,000 workers.

Interestingly enough the IRS has instituted a policy that links bonuses for executives and senior level employees to performance...but not for the rank and file employees. I bet the executives and senior level folks are having too much time wasting our money making those fun training videos we've discussed in the past.

As I said in the title to this opinion piece this sort of behavior by our employees makes my blood boil.

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