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Trump Transition: Ex-Congressman Named to Lead IRS Amid Controversy Over Tax Credits

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Former Missouri congressman Billy Long has been selected by Trump to lead the IRS. Long, who served six terms in Congress, has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic. However, this tax credit has been associated with fraud and has ended up costing the government more money than originally expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

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Donald J. Trump, who will soon become President, announced on Wednesday that he plans to appoint Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, to be in charge of the Internal Revenue Service. This means that he intends to remove the current leader, who was appointed by Biden.

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

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about his efforts in assisting businesses in claiming the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that neither he nor his colleagues had encountered a denial from the tax agency for any claim so far. This tax credit program was established by Congress and former President Trump in 2020 as a way to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during the economic shutdown.

"We do not engage in any deceptive practices," he explained. "We ensure that individuals meet the qualifications for receiving a refund from the IRS, along with any applicable interest."

Donald Trump’s selection, shared on his social media platform, will bring significant change to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during a crucial time. The Biden administration has invested large amounts of money into updating the agency and strengthening its tax collection initiatives to enhance customer satisfaction and combat tax evasion.

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

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