Even in the latest CBS/NYT poll, most Americans regardless of party believe political reasons drove the targeting of conservative groups, which is at the forefront of the IRS scandal.
The public splits across party lines, though, about whether President Obama and his administration were involved, but 68% of respondents – 80% of Republicans, 60% of Democrats and 66% of independents – said they think the IRS targeting was motivated by politics, rather than some ridiculous notion of adherence to the tax code policy.
But while forty-four percent think the Obama administration had a hand in the targeting, 40 percent said they believe the agency acted on its own.
There, of course, is a partisan difference, as 70% of Republicans think the Obama administration was involved, which only 19 % of Democrats agree. An incredible 65% of Democrats said they think the IRS acted independently.
Almost one-quarter – 24% – of Americans reported that they support the Tea Party, the group of organizations who were targeted by the IRS. Tea party supporters were especially likely to deem the activity illegal, and to suspect the Obama administration was involved.
Rasmussen reported as well that only 20% of Likely Voters believe the administration’s story that the IRS scandal was a product of low-level employees in Cincinnati, while a full 65% believe that the order came from Washington.
As hearings on Capitol Hill rage on to explore the origins of the targeting scheme, most Americans said they are following the story, with 21 percent who said they are following it very closely. Tea party supporters said they are paying particularly close attention: 76 percent are tuned into developments, and 38 percent who said they are following it very closely. Just 16 percent of Democrats said they are following the news very closely.
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