The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has agreed to review the manner in which the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) handled U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer’s (MO-3) requests for an investigation of the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) tax-exempt status and will specifically look into IRS Director of Exempt Organizations Lois Lerner and her staff.

In both a letter to Luetkemeyer and in discussions with the congressman’s staff, the TIGTA’s office confirmed that a formal review would take place and that the congressman would be notified upon its completion.  If the findings of the review indicate that his previous requests were, in fact, mishandled, Luetkemeyer intends to renew his call for the IRS to launch a new, unbiased, investigation into the HSUS’ alleged inappropriate involvement in political and lobbying activities.

“I am encouraged that the Inspector General for Tax Administration is taking these allegations seriously by looking into the way Lois Lerner and her staff conducted themselves with regard to the investigation of HSUS’ lobbying and political activities,” Luetkemeyer said. “We know that Ms. Lerner and her staff inappropriately targeted conservative organizations, so the American people deserve to know whether these same IRS officials turned a blind eye to the activities of left-leaning groups such as HSUS.”

The TIGTA’s decision to look into allegations came following a May 17 letter from Luetkemeyer requesting an investigation into the manner in which Lerner, who is an active member of the HSUS, handled his inquiries regarding HSUS’ abuse of its tax-exempt status. Lerner was recently placed on administrative leave after her admissions that her office had targeted conservative organizations and following her refusal to answer questions before a congressional oversight committee.

Luetkemeyer first corresponded with the IRS regarding the HSUS’ political and lobbying activity in March 2010 following numerous requests from constituents.  Until receiving the letter from the TIGTA’s office, Luetkemeyer was unsure if anyone in the Obama Administration was taking his requests seriously.  Luetkemeyer also has sent letters requesting an investigation to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, both of whom have yet to respond.