Lawmakers from both parties said Thursday that senior I.R.S. officials had requested Ms. Lerner’s resignation but she refused, forcing them to put her on leave instead.
Whether her suspension will lead to dismissal was unclear, given civil service rules that govern federal employment. A day after she refused to answer questions at a congressional hearing, Lois Lerner has been replaced as director the Internal Revenue Service division that oversaw agents who targeted Tea Party groups.
“The I.R.S. owes it to taxpayers to resolve her situation quickly,” said Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa. “She shouldn’t be in limbo indefinitely on the taxpayers’ dime.”
Danny Werfel, the agency's new acting commissioner, told IRS employees in an email Thursday that he had selected a new acting head of the division.
Ken Corbin will be the acting director of the agency's exempt organizations division. Corbin is currently deputy director of submission processing in the wage and investment division
Ken Corbin to take over as acting commissioner of division
that oversees tax agency's exemptions division
