From VOA Learning English, this is In
the News.
President Obama this week found himself on the defensive1 on three different issues2. Political observers3 say the issues could threaten4 his plan of action for his second term5 as president.
Critics say the most serious threat6 right now7 to the Obama administration involves8 the federal tax agency9, the Internal Revenue Service10. The IRS has admitted that agency officials targeted11 conservative12 political groups which sought13 to become tax-exempt14.
President Obama this week found himself on the defensive1 on three different issues2. Political observers3 say the issues could threaten4 his plan of action for his second term5 as president.
Critics say the most serious threat6 right now7 to the Obama administration involves8 the federal tax agency9, the Internal Revenue Service10. The IRS has admitted that agency officials targeted11 conservative12 political groups which sought13 to become tax-exempt14.
Organizations that are tax-exempt do not have
to pay federal taxes15.
The groups targeted for special attention by the IRS oppose16 many of the administration’s spending17 and tax policies18.
Late Wednesday, the president announced that Treasury19 Secretary Jack Lew had asked for20 and received21 the resignation22 of the acting director23 of the IRS. Mr. Obama spoke after meeting with24 top officials to discuss a report from the Treasury Department inspector general.
“I’ve reviewed25 the Treasury Department watchdog's report, and the misconduct26 that it uncovered27 is inexcusable28. It is inexcusable, and Americans are right to be angry29 about it, and I am angry about it.”
Attorney General30 Eric Holder has ordered a criminal investigation of the actions by the IRS. On Thursday, the president said he did not know about the abuses until they were described31 in news reports last week.
The administration is also on the defensive over the Justice Department's seizure32 of telephone records33 from the Associated Press news agency34. The AP said on Monday that the government secretly35 obtained36 two months of phone records for some of its reporters and editors.
Administration officials say the Justice Department is investigating who may have provided37 information for an AP story last year. The story described an American intelligence operation in Yemen that stopped an al-Qaida bomb plot38.
On Tuesday, reporters questioned White House Press Secretary39 Jay Carney about the phone records. He said President Obama supports40 the constitutional right41 of freedom42 of the press.
“The president is committed to43 the press’s ability to pursue44 information, to defending the First Amendment45. He is also, as a citizen46 and as commander-in-chief, committed to the proposition47 that we cannot allow48 classified information49 that can do harm50 to our national security interests or to endanger51 individuals to be leaked52. And that is a balance that has to be struck53.”
Attorney General Holder said he had no direct involvement54 in the Justice Department’s examination of the phone records. He said the seizure was part of an investigation into what he called a grave national security leak55. President Obama said he makes “no apologies56” for a criminal investigation into national security leaks.
Also this week, the administration released57 100 pages of e-mails about the attacks on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. Ambassador58 Chris Stephens and three other Americans died59 in the attacks last September 11.
Administration officials first described60 the events in Benghazi as a spontaneous attack61, with no sign of a plot62. But they later called it an act of terrorism. Republicans say the administration wanted to avoid admitting63 it was terrorism while64 Mr. Obama was seeking re-election65.
And that’s In the News from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.
Late Wednesday, the president announced that Treasury19 Secretary Jack Lew had asked for20 and received21 the resignation22 of the acting director23 of the IRS. Mr. Obama spoke after meeting with24 top officials to discuss a report from the Treasury Department inspector general.
“I’ve reviewed25 the Treasury Department watchdog's report, and the misconduct26 that it uncovered27 is inexcusable28. It is inexcusable, and Americans are right to be angry29 about it, and I am angry about it.”
Attorney General30 Eric Holder has ordered a criminal investigation of the actions by the IRS. On Thursday, the president said he did not know about the abuses until they were described31 in news reports last week.
The administration is also on the defensive over the Justice Department's seizure32 of telephone records33 from the Associated Press news agency34. The AP said on Monday that the government secretly35 obtained36 two months of phone records for some of its reporters and editors.
Administration officials say the Justice Department is investigating who may have provided37 information for an AP story last year. The story described an American intelligence operation in Yemen that stopped an al-Qaida bomb plot38.
On Tuesday, reporters questioned White House Press Secretary39 Jay Carney about the phone records. He said President Obama supports40 the constitutional right41 of freedom42 of the press.
“The president is committed to43 the press’s ability to pursue44 information, to defending the First Amendment45. He is also, as a citizen46 and as commander-in-chief, committed to the proposition47 that we cannot allow48 classified information49 that can do harm50 to our national security interests or to endanger51 individuals to be leaked52. And that is a balance that has to be struck53.”
Attorney General Holder said he had no direct involvement54 in the Justice Department’s examination of the phone records. He said the seizure was part of an investigation into what he called a grave national security leak55. President Obama said he makes “no apologies56” for a criminal investigation into national security leaks.
Also this week, the administration released57 100 pages of e-mails about the attacks on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. Ambassador58 Chris Stephens and three other Americans died59 in the attacks last September 11.
Administration officials first described60 the events in Benghazi as a spontaneous attack61, with no sign of a plot62. But they later called it an act of terrorism. Republicans say the administration wanted to avoid admitting63 it was terrorism while64 Mr. Obama was seeking re-election65.
And that’s In the News from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.
Vocabulary
1. found himself on the defensive = encontrou-se na defensiva
2. issues = questões
3. Political observers = observadores politicos
4. could threaten = poderia ameaçar
5. second term = Segundo mandato (periodo)
6. the most serious threat = a ameaça mais séria
7. right now = neste momento, já
8. involves = envolve
9. federal tax agency = Agencia Federal de Impostos
10. Revenue Service = receita federal
11. Targeted = alvejou
12. Conservative = conservadores
13. Sought = buscaram
14. become tax-exempt = tornar-se isento de impostos
15. federal taxes = impostos federais
16. oppose = opõe-se a
17. spending = gastos
18. policies = diretrizes
19. Treasury = Tesouro public
20. had asked for = tinha pedido por
21. received = recebeu
22. resignation = renúncia
23. acting director = diretor interino
24. after meeting with = após encontrar-se com
25. reviewed = revisei
26. misconduct = mau comportamento
27. uncovered = revelou
28. inexcusable = imperdoável
29. are right to be angry = estão certos de estarem zangados
30. Attorney General = Procurador Geral
31. Described = descritos
32. Seizure = apreensão
33. Records = registros
34. news agency = agencia de notícias
35. secretly = sigilosamente
36. obtained = obteve
37. who may have provided = quem pode ter fornecido
38. plot = conspiração
39. Press Secretary = Secretário de imprensa
40. Supports = apoia
41. constitutional right = Direito constitucional
42. freedom = liberdade
43. committed to = comprometido com
44. pursue = ir atrás de, perseguir
45. First Amendment = Primeiro Emenda
46. Citizen = cidadão
47. Proposition = proposta
48. cannot allow = não podemos permitir
49. classified information = informação secreta
50. can do harm = fazer mal
51. endanger = colocar em risco
52. to be leaked = ao ser divulgada
53. has to be struck = a ser atacado, atingido
54. involvement = envolvimento
55. leak = vazamento
56. apologies = desculpas
57. released = divulgou
58. Ambassador = Embaixador
59. Died = morreram
60. Described = descreveram
61. spontaneous attack = ataque espontâneo
62. sign of a plot = sinais de uma conspiração
63. avoid admitting = evitar admitir
64. while = enquanto
65. seeking re-election = buscando a reeleição
