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Trump Transition: Ex-Congressman Billy Long Nominated to Lead IRS Amid Controversy Over Tax Credit Fraud

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Former congressman Billy Long, who represented Missouri for six terms, has been chosen by Trump to lead the IRS. Long has been involved in assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic, which has been plagued by fraud and has ended up costing the government billions more than expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

Writing from the nation

On Wednesday, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced that he plans to appoint Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, as the new head of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision indicates his intention to remove the current IRS leader, who was appointed by President Biden.

Following his defeat in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long promoted a tax credit introduced during the pandemic that has been plagued by fraudulent activity and ended up costing the government billions more than anticipated. In response, lawmakers have made attempts to eliminate the tax credit, and the I.R.S. has temporarily halted the processing of claims in order to identify and eliminate false applications for the tax break.

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about how he and his team have successfully helped businesses take advantage of the Employee Retention Tax Credit without any rejections from the tax agency. This credit was established by Congress and former President Trump in 2020 to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during the economic shutdown.

He stated that they do not allow anyone to bypass the rules, and they ensure that individuals qualify for the refund from the IRS along with interest.

President Trump made a new selection for a key position in the IRS, which was announced on his social media platform. This decision could have a significant impact on the agency during a critical time. The Biden administration has invested a large amount of money in updating the IRS and enhancing its tax collection initiatives to enhance customer service and combat tax evasion.

President Biden selected Daniel Werfel in 2022 to head the restructuring of the I.R.S. Werfel, who has experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations as a management consultant and civil servant, was appointed to serve until 2027.

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