u.s. justice department reach settlement dozens conservative group claim internal revenue service unfairly scrutinize base political lean seek tax-exempt status court document show pair lawsuits file federal court 2013 conservative group accuse irs target organizations word tea party patriots apply agency tax-exempt status start 2010. side ask unite state district court district columbia wednesday issue declarative judgment one case involve 41 plaintiffs would say irs wrong apply unite state tax laws base entity name position association particular political movement hope today settlement make clear abuse power tolerate attorney general jeff sessions say statement thursday irs admit wrong base screen group applications name policy position subject group heighten scrutiny delay demand unnecessary information group agreement washington case say irs express sincere apology say senior management within irs exempt organizations division delinquent responsibility provide effective control guidance direction process applications tax exempt status file tea party political advocacy organizations settlement document say request halt case class action suit involve 428 members file federal court ohio republicans claim target conservative group show political bias irs former democratic president barack obama house republican investigators find connection obama administration accord 2014 report report blame irs officials mistreat conservative organizations seek tax-exempt status irs officials cover misconduct mislead congress officials include former commissioner douglas shulman former act commissioner steven miller lois lerner former head unit oversee applications tax-exempt status obama fire miller internal 2013 irs audit release find poor management partisan politics lead inappropriate focus conservative group criminal charge ever file irs officials group seek tax exemption federal law may engage limit amount political activity depend type exemption seek vagueness rule often make difficult irs agents tell group overstep become ineligible exemption justice department settle conservative group irs scrutiny