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Trump Transition: Former Congressman with Controversial Tax Credit History Nominated to Lead IRS

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 Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Long has been involved in assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic, which has been plagued with fraud and has ended up costing the government billions more than expected.

Authored by Andrew Duehren

Writing from the capital

On Wednesday, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intention to nominate Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, to take over as the head of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision also implies that he plans to remove the current leader of the IRS, 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 fraud, resulting in the government losing billions more than anticipated. Lawmakers have attempted to terminate the tax credit, and the I.R.S. has halted the processing of claims temporarily in order to identify and eliminate fraudulent applications for the tax break.

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about how he assists businesses in claiming the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that neither he nor his colleagues have had a claim denied by the tax agency. This credit 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.

He explained that they do not help anyone cheat or deceive in order to receive a refund from the IRS. They only assist those who are genuinely eligible for a refund, including any interest owed.

President Trump made an announcement on his social media platform about his selection for a key position in the IRS, which would bring significant changes at a crucial time. The Biden administration has invested a substantial amount of money in updating the agency and strengthening its efforts to collect taxes, aiming to enhance customer service and combat tax evasion.

President Biden selected Daniel Werfel, a previous management consultant and government employee with experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, to be in charge of redesigning the I.R.S. His tenure was scheduled to continue until 2027.

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