BOLO TIE:

Internal Revenue Service documents showing that the agency might have scrutinized politically liberal groups before it inappropriately targeted conservative ones intensified debate on Capitol Hill last week, leaving the agency and its watchdog scrambling to explain themselves.

The result may be an already embattled IRS that faces even more criticism, and an inspector general risking a compromised reputation.

J. Russell George's May report about the IRS's treatment of conservative groups led to public outrage, agency apologies, congressional hearings, a Justice Department probe and several dismissals, including the forced resignation of acting commissioner Steven Miller by the White House.

But Democrats are now questioning the Treasury inspector general's audit in light of the new IRS documents, which show that terms such as "progressive," "health care legislation" and "medical marijuana" appeared on a multipart "Be on the Lookout" list, or BOLO, that helped agents determine which groups deserved additional screening.

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