As much of official Washington—and the rest of the nation for that matter—are in full summer malaise mode, a smoking gun has emerged in the on-going investigation of the Internal Revenue Service’s illegal targeting of conservative and tea party patriot groups.

Peggy Noonan’s Wall Street Journal commentary cuts through the confusion and monotony of this week’s congressional hearings to recap the key points that connect the IRS scandal to its Washington headquarters and its chief counsel.

Several IRS personnel’s testimony confirmed Lois Lerner’s role as one of the ring leaders, but the real shocker came when 48-year IRS veteran Carter Hull stated that he was told to send the targeted groups’ applications directly to Chief Counsel William Wilkins, who is one of only two political appointees made to the department by Pres. Barack Obama.

You can read Noonan’s complete commentary, including why she thinks these developments have some Washington leaders really worried, here.