An Internal Revenue Service manager in Cincinnati singled out the first tea party case that prompted widespread targeting of conservative groups, and an agent from the same office developed the initial search criteria for the initiative, according to the House oversight committee's top Democrat.
Rep. Elijah Cummings said this week that the new details should absolve the White House of blame for the issue and bring to a close House investigations of the issue.
The IRS has come under fire from Republicans since an inspector general's report last month showed that the agency had singled out conservative groups seeking nonprofit tax status for scrutiny during the 2012 election cycle.