On the April 9 edition of her MSNBC program The Reid Report, host and former Obama campaign operative Joy Reid said investigations into the IRS targeting scandal was a "faux scandal" and said Republicans were "persecuting" Lois Lerner:
“With health care dissipating as a potent political topic, and scant red meat to take home to their Tea Party base over the recess, Republicans are trying to freshen up their favorite faux scandals and conspiracy theories....The attempt to criminally prosecute this woman [Lois Lerner] really does ratchet up the level of what you might call persecution of her.”