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Trump’s Controversial Pick for I.R.S. Leadership Sparks Concerns Over Tax Credit Fraud

In Citizen
January 18, 2025

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Former Missouri congressman Billy Long has been chosen by Trump to lead the Internal Revenue Service. Long, who served in Congress for six terms, has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic that has experienced widespread fraud and ended up costing the government billions more than expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

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Donald J. Trump, the incoming President, announced his intention to nominate Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, to head the Internal Revenue Service. This decision implies that Trump plans to remove the current leader of the tax agency, who was appointed by Biden.

Following his defeat in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long has promoted a tax credit introduced during the pandemic that has been heavily affected by fraudulent activity, resulting in higher costs for the government than initially anticipated. In response, lawmakers have attempted to eliminate the tax credit, and the I.R.S. has taken steps such as temporarily halting the processing of claims to identify and reject false applications for the tax benefit.

During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about his efforts in assisting businesses in obtaining the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that he and his team have not had a claim denied by the tax agency so far. The program was established by Congress and Mr. Trump in 2020 as a part of a stimulus bill to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees amidst the economic shutdown.

He assured that they do not deceive anyone and make sure that individuals truly qualify for a refund of their own money from the IRS with added interest.

President Trump made a new selection for a key position within the I.R.S., which was announced through his social media platform. This decision would bring significant changes to the agency at a critical time. The Biden administration has invested a substantial amount of funds to update the I.R.S. and enhance its tax collection activities, aiming to enhance customer service and combat tax evasion.

President Biden appointed Daniel Werfel, a former management consultant and civil servant with experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, to head the restructuring of the IRS in 2022. Werfel’s term was scheduled to continue until 2027.

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