STEPHEN OHLMACHER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has approved a nonbinding resolution calling on the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Internal Revenue Service over the way agents handled applications for tax-exempt status.

The IRS has acknowledged that its agents improperly singled out applications from tea party and other conservative groups for extra scrutiny. But officials denied there were political motives.

The Justice Department and three congressional committees have been investigating the matter for nearly a year.

In pushing for Wednesday’s vote, House Republicans said they doubted the ability of the Justice Department to conduct an impartial investigation.

House Democrats said the vote was another example of Republicans trying to fire up their base in an election year.

Attorney General Eric Holder has dismissed previous calls for a special counsel.

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