A Rasmussen poll released today received little attention today because of the news about the Supreme Court rulings on Hobby Lobby and public union dues.
A telephone survey conducted of 1000 likely U.S. voters on June 26-27 found 53% believe that the Internal Revenue Service broke the law when it targeted Tea Party and other conservative groups. Only 22% believe that they didn’t. 66% believe that those involved should be jailed or fired, including 30% who say they should be jailed and 36% who think they should be fired.
With the news that two years worth of emails from Lois Lerner and five others who are involved in this scandal, 71% of voters think it is likely that the e-mails were deliberately destroyed to hide evidence of criminal activity. 53% consider it very likely that was done.
Also 57% also believe it’s likely that the IRS has targeted other opponents of the Obama administration. Only 26% think this is unlikely.
Republicans and Independents are more than twice as likely as Democrats to believe that the IRS was breaking the law when they targeted conservative groups. There are a sizeable number of Democrats who are undecided. There is a bipartisan believe that it is likely the IRS deliberately destroyed incriminating emails about the ongoing investigation.
Also 71% of Republicans and 59% of independents believe it is likely the IRS targeted other political opponents. 46% of Democrats also agree, but 33% don’t and 21% were undecided.