Rand Paul: Obama 'Losing Moral Authority'

Image: Rand Paul: Obama 'Losing Moral Authority'

Sunday, 26 May 2013 04:23 PM

By Greg Richter





President Barack Obama is in danger of losing his moral authority to lead the nation, Rep. Rand Paul, R-Ky., says.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," Paul said the three controversies currently swirling around the administration weaken his leadership ability.

"Nobody questions his legal authority, but I think he’s really losing the moral authority," Paul said. "I don’t care whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, nobody likes to see the opposite party punishing you for your political beliefs."

Paul was referring to IRS agents targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status prior the previous election cycle. Some have charged that agents wanted to suppress Republican voter turnout, though administration officials say the agents simply used bad judgment.

Asked whether he was aware of anyone at the IRS breaking the law, Paul responded that he didn't know. But he noted that Lois Lerner, the head of tax-exempt organizations at the agency, took her Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate herself when asked to testify before Congress last week.

"The president did respond to that, and he has suspended her," Paul noted. "However, he’s still paying her and I don’t want that to go on forever.”

Paul called for a speedy resolution to the IRS scandal.

Obama "says he’s going to listen to his new IRS commissioner in 30 days. Well, the investigation’s been going on over a year now, so I would think it wouldn’t take very long," Paul said. "If he goes beyond 30 days, and if no one is fired over this, I really think it’s going to be trouble for him trying to lead in the next four years.”

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