on may 10, 2013, in advance of the public release of the audit findings, director of the irs exempt organizations division lois lerner answered what was later revealed to be a planted question by stating that the irs was "apologetic" for what she termed "absolutely inappropriate" actions. (lerner's superior, then-acting irs commissioner steven miller, later testified to congress that he had discussed with lerner how she was to make the revelation and apology, using a planted question at a meeting of the american bar association rather than during an appearance two days earlier before the united states house committee on ways and means in congress.) lerner asserted that the extra scrutiny had not been centrally planned, and had been done by lower-level "front line people" in the cincinnati office. media reports soon revealed that irs officials in two other regional offices had also been involved in scrutinizing conservative groups and that selected applicants said that they had been told their applications were being overseen by a task force in washington, d.c. the treasury inspector general for tax administration report showed that lerner herself had been informed of the affair at a meeting that she had attended on june 29, 2011.