Jindal: IRS officials should "go to jail" for targeting

"You cannot take the freedom of law-abiding Americans...and keep your own freedom"

Published May 19, 2013 2:46PM (EDT)

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican, reportedly argued that the IRS officials responsible for targeting tea party and other conservative groups deserve jail time.

“Anyone who participated in this targeting of Americans for their political beliefs, anyone who knew about it, anyone who simply looked the other way, and anyone under whose watch this occurred needs to be fired,” CNN reports Jindal planned to say in a speech before Virginia Republicans on Saturday, according to his prepared remarks.

“But in this instance, it is the IRS, people in a position of public trust, who have violated the Constitution of the United States of America. You cannot take the freedom of law-abiding Americans, whether you disagree with them or not, and keep your own freedom. When you do that, you go to jail,” he continued.


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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Bobby Jindal Irs Louisiana Republicans Tea Party