U.S. Archivist Tells Oversight Committee The IRS "Did Not Follow The Law"

"They did not follow the law."

Speaking at an Oversight and Investigations Committee hearing Tuesday on missing emails related to the IRS scandal, Archivist of the United States David Ferriero said the Internal Revenue Service did not "follow the law" in not reporting the loss of records related to Lois Lerner.

"In your testimony, you state that when agencies become aware of unauthorized destruction of federal records they are required to report the incident to the archives," Rep. Tim Walberg said to Ferriero. "At any time in 2011 through last Monday did the IRS report any loss of records related to Lois Lerner?"

"No," said Ferriero.

Asked directly if the IRS broke the Federal Records Act, Ferriero said that any agency would be required to report the loss of material to the archives.

"I'm not a lawyer," Ferriero said when asked if they broke the law.

Walberg followed up again, asking if they broke the law.

"They did not follow the law," said Ferriero.

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