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Trump’s Nomination of Former Congressman to Lead I.R.S. Raises Concerns Over Pandemic 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 IRS. Long, who served in Congress for six terms, has been assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic. This tax credit has been plagued with fraud and has ended up costing the government much more than expected.

Written by Andrew Duehren

Reporting live from the

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

Following his loss in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long has promoted a tax credit created during the pandemic that has experienced a high amount of fraud, resulting in higher costs for the government than originally anticipated. Lawmakers have attempted to close the tax credit program, and the I.R.S. has temporarily halted the processing of claims in order to identify and eliminate fraudulent 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 facing any denials from the tax agency. This program, established by Congress and former President Trump in 2020, was included in a stimulus bill to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during the economic shutdown.

He explained that they do not allow anyone to cheat the system, but instead ensure that individuals legitimately qualify for a refund of their own money from the IRS, along with interest.

President Trump announced his selection for a new leader of the IRS on his social media platform, which would bring significant changes to the organization at a critical time. The Biden administration has invested substantial funds into updating the agency and strengthening its tax collection initiatives to enhance customer service and combat tax evasion.

President Biden selected Daniel Werfel in 2022 to head the reformation 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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