The Internal Revenue Service has apologized to tea party and other right-wing groups after acknowledging their bids for tax-exempt status came under extra scrutiny. An official disclosed Friday that organizations with the terms “tea party” or “patriots” in their names were singled out by the IRS division responsible for investigating those seeking to qualify as charities under U.S. tax law. The IRS says the targeting was not politically motivated, but rather a rushed effort to sort through a surge in applications. An inspector general’s report says the targeting also extended to groups questioning government spending, debt and taxes. Top officials have reportedly been aware since 2011 but have only now issued a public apology.