An official with a documented role in the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups during the Obama administration is now serving as the acting director of the IRS’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the agency’s ethics division.

Elizabeth Kastenberg, who was directly involved in overseeing IRS scrutiny of Tea Party-affiliated organizations seeking tax-exempt status, is now tasked with enforcing professional conduct among tax practitioners, preparers, and other third parties.

Her appointment was highlighted in new research conducted by the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), a nonprofit watchdog group, and first reported by the Washington Examiner.

Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

Kastenberg was a central figure during the 2010–2013 IRS controversy, when conservative groups seeking 501(c)(4) nonprofit status were flagged for extra scrutiny.

According to 2013 congressional testimony, Kastenberg was involved in reviewing audits of right-leaning groups and was present at senior-level discussions involving decisions tied to the targeting of those organizations.

A December 2014 House Oversight Committee report stated that Kastenberg was directed by a senior staffer under Lois Lerner—the former IRS official who ultimately resigned over the scandal—to help construct legal grounds to deny tax-exempt status to Tea Party-aligned groups.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

An internal IRS email dated April 2011, authored by Kastenberg, acknowledged the political nature of the audits.

“These cases are held back primarily because of their political party affiliation rather than specifically any political activities,” she wrote.

Joining Kastenberg in the IRS ethics office is Jacqueline Bennett, a supervisory legal administrative specialist who also serves on the office’s four-person management team.

Bennett has drawn scrutiny for past public statements and social media posts sharply critical of President Donald Trump and the conservative movement.

Among the posts flagged in the AAF’s findings are comparisons between the Trump administration and Nazi Germany, as well as characterizations of Trump as a “psychopath.”

The report also notes Bennett’s participation in multiple anti-Trump protests and her public support for liberal legal campaigns opposing the administration’s agenda.

The Office of Professional Responsibility is responsible for enforcing standards among practitioners interacting with the IRS. Kastenberg and Bennett now make up half of the team overseeing that enforcement nationwide.

The personnel choices reflect what watchdogs say is an enduring political bias within the agency.

A previous report from The Washington Examiner found that, as of April, approximately 60% of leadership staffers within the IRS commissioner and deputy commissioner’s offices had shown support for liberal causes either through financial donations or public statements.

In addition, Holly Paz, another figure implicated in the Obama-era targeting scandal, remains in a leadership role at the IRS.

The Trump administration began taking steps to restructure the agency’s personnel.

In May, IRS spokesperson Jodie Reynolds, who had worked at the agency for nearly three decades, was removed from her post.

Reynolds had previously shared and liked anti-Trump content on social media, and her removal was part of a broader effort to address perceived political bias within the agency.

The AAF, which uncovered Kastenberg and Bennett’s roles through federal records and public statements, is funded by conservative grant-making organizations including Club for Growth and Donors Trust.

The group conducts oversight investigations focused on government transparency and agency accountability.

As of now, neither the IRS nor the Treasury Department has issued a public response regarding Kastenberg’s appointment or the AAF’s findings.

Connect with Vetted Off-Duty Cops to Instantly Fulfill Your Security Needs