Quick Fact: Self-proclaimed Conservative Republican Responsible for I.R.S. Targeting of Tea Party Groups?

Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland) top Democratic member of the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee that is conducting the investigation into the IRS targeting of Tea Party groups applying for tax-exempt status, says he believes the investigation should be over.  On Sunday, he released an official interview transcript of a Cincinnati manager saying that he and another IRS employee decided to set aside applications from Tea Party and patriot groups because they felt they posed a new precedent that might have an affect on future IRS filings.

The manager, John Shafer, who describes himself as a conservative Republican, was asked if he thought the focus on Tea Party groups was intended to target "the president's political enemies."  He replied:  "I do not believe that the screening of these cases had anything to do, other than consistency and identifying issues that needed to have further development." 

When asked if he thought the White House was involved, he said "I have no reason to believe that."

Representative Darrell Issa (R-California), chairman of the House investigating committee, has vowed to press ahead.  "(The manager's comments) did not provide anything enlightening...I strongly disagree with...Cumming's assertion that we know everything we need to know about inappropriate targeting of Tea Party groups by the IRS"

Because, you know, we can't blame the President if one of our own turns out to be holding the smoking gun.