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Investigating Discrimination By the IRS Should Be Top Priority for GOP Congress

Posted on Thursday, September 8, 2022
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by Shane Harris
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46 Comments
IRS

AMAC Exclusive – By Shane Harris

If Republicans are successful in retaking either chamber of Congress this fall, investigating potential racial discrimination by the IRS as a result of Biden’s “equity” agenda should be a top priority.

As AMAC Newsline reported last month, the Treasury Department (which oversees the IRS) released its “Equity Action Plan” (EAP) last October in accordance with a Biden Executive Order directing every federal agency to develop and implement an “ambitious whole-of-government equity agenda that matches the scale of the opportunities and challenges that we face.” The Order specifically calls on administration officials to address “entrenched disparities in our laws and public policies” – in other words, to infuse the far-left equity agenda into the everyday functions of the government. This directive is all the more terrifying given that Democrats in Congress just signed off on Biden’s plan to hire 87,000 new IRS agents.

For the IRS, Biden’s equity Executive Order by definition means taking into account an individual’s race, sex, or other immutable physical characteristics when it comes to tax collection practices and procedures. The Treasury Department’s EAP makes a number of references to “taxation equity,” suggesting that the Biden administration views the tax code itself as potentially discriminatory.

Currently, the biggest obstacle to the IRS considering race, ethnicity, and sex when making policy – and the clearest reason to be skeptical of the Biden administration’s narrative of “systemic racism” in tax policy – are laws that prevent the agency from collecting demographic data. But as the Treasury’s EAP outlines, the Office of Tax Policy “has made significant progress in developing statistically useful data for studying the impact of tax policies on racial and ethnic groups using publicly available ZIP-Code level data,” in effect executing an end-run around the clear constraints set by Congress.

In another alarming development this May, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (supposedly an “independent, nonpartisan” entity that collects information about how well executive agencies are doing their job) recommended that Congress “consider revising relevant laws to facilitate secure interagency data sharing,” requesting that the Census Bureau be allowed to share demographic information about taxpayers with the IRS. The GAO explicitly states in its recommendation that such action should be taken in order to “assess the effects of tax laws…by demographics such as households’ race, ethnicity, and sex.” The Treasury Department agrees, saying in its EAP that “the imputed data [on taxpayer race and sex] will also allow [the Office of Tax Policy] to evaluate the equity implications of any tax policy proposal considered by the Administration.”

It’s worth noting that, if certain parts of the tax code or IRS actions are actually discriminatory, the Biden administration – or any interested party for that matter – already has the ability to challenge such statutes and actions in court under federal civil rights law. Instead, Biden’s army of woke bureaucrats is simply asserting that such nebulous “systemic racism” might exist, and then using that assertion as a pretext to justify ending race- and sex-blind enforcement of the tax code. In effect, the Biden IRS is giving life to the very monster they are ostensibly seeking to destroy, intentionally introducing potential biases into the tax system and creating the possibility of racially-motivated actions, all in the name of “equity.”

This prospect should be frightening for every American, and raises a number of difficult questions for both the President and top tax officials. Do they believe that the tax code is racist? Why? What does the Biden IRS plan to do with taxpayer demographic information once they have it? Do Americans have any guarantees that government tax collectors won’t use information on race and sex in determining who gets audited and who is eligible for certain tax benefits? After the IRS not taking demographic information into account in its decision-making for the entirety of its existence, why change now if the goal is not to introduce racial discrimination into tax enforcement?

While it is unlikely that Democrats in Congress will seek answers to any of these important questions, Republicans can and should do so if they win back control this fall. Subpoenaing all “equity”-related communications of top tax officials and conducting oversight of how auditors are determining who to target is a good place to start.

If Congressional investigators discover that the IRS is now engaged in race-based tax enforcement, it will be a scandal that dwarfs the IRS’s discrimination against conservative non-profits a decade ago. Just like Americans expect the justice system to be blind – no special favors for any groups, just equal application of laws and facts – they should expect the same in the application of tax laws.

Nobody likes paying taxes. And there are undoubtedly legitimate concerns about individuals and businesses taking advantage of the tax code to avoid paying their fair share. But until now, taxpayers could at least be confident that the government wasn’t openly enforcing the tax code differently based on someone’s skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or some other arbitrary factor. That no longer appears to be the case – a fact for which top Treasury Department officials and ultimately Biden himself must be made to answer.

Shane Harris is a writer and political consultant from Southwest Ohio. You can follow him on Twitter @Shane_Harris_.

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Jerry
Jerry
1 year ago

And who will investigate the IRS, the FBI? Come on, give me a break. That would be like Chuck Scummer investigating Sleepy Joe, the dictator.

Rich
Rich
1 year ago

Fighting the I.R.S. will be like hunting a bear. If you’re not careful, IT will be hunting YOU. Anyone that takes on the “establishment” had better fight HARD and address the corruption and take it out or it won’t be pretty when they turn on you, there won’t be any legal defense.

Edward Long
Edward Long
1 year ago

Dismantling the IRS and all of the Alphabet clubs, should be they first priority.

CLIFFORD F GERACI
CLIFFORD F GERACI
1 year ago

The Socialist Liberal Left just keep on winning. I think Conservatives are complacent and lazy and just don’t have the capacity to fight the unscrupulous and deceptive Democrats. It’s just plain embarrassing to be on the losing side all the time. They have the Deep State within the Government (FBI, IRS, NAT’L ARCHIVIST etc), Social Media, Corporate News Media, The Educational System, and they are buying the peoples vote. America as we knew her is nevermore.

Judy Gonzales
Judy Gonzales
1 year ago

An attack on the Church of Jesus Christ will be their ultimate goal. These traitors hate Christians, especially ‘White’ American Christians and will go after them. Most Conservative Christian Americans voted for President Trump, another reason they’ll come after ‘US.’ We need to face the facts that the Communists who have taken over, for a certainty are ruling this country right now!

May God have mercy on us all!

Diane
Diane
1 year ago

These are communist tactics that old Joe is using because his boss in China wants us to be ripped to shreds. This is another attack.
Lord Jesus surround the innocent with your hedge of protection.

Barb
Barb
1 year ago

The title of this story is a JOKE!! Why mention the IRS only? Start with the President in hiring only a black person with no knowledge to be second in command. She met the “color” requirement, that is all. Then look at the Teachers Union wanting to hire only blacks, or “those of color”, without even mentioning or meeting the qualifications for good teachers. I could go on & on, but this is blatant discriminatory practices. What happened to EEOC/EEO?

JCis#1
JCis#1
1 year ago

87,000 new Border agents would have been a far better use of Tax $$ spent. I’m going to be changing my demographics as a ‘trans-gender, gay, Black, Hispanic, blind Asian Buddhist, socialist Democrat”, maybe then I won’t get audited by this weaponized IRS. ????????

Tim Toroian
Tim Toroian
1 year ago

Hire 10,000 CPAs and do a full audit.

Jannine
Jannine
1 year ago

Translation for the new EAP: Tax/target only the whiteys.
Also, get as much personal information as you can so that we, the government, have each taxpayer by the neck.

Lauren R MacArthur
Lauren R MacArthur
1 year ago

Article’s author suggests Congress initiate yet ANOTHER investigation, most of which are never acted upon. INSTEAD, how about suggesting Congress CUT FUNDING to and/or REPEAL these harmful bills they have passed.

Sharon Ormsby
Sharon Ormsby
1 year ago

There’s a lot of Top things they have to investigate…Fauci, DEEP STATE, the entire Jan 6th fiasco with Pelosi being the instigator, the Pentagon backs that one up, 2000 mules showing the election was null and void for Biden, IMPEACHMENT, being the BiGGEST thing, for all three of the top people in government! Getting this country BACK ON TRACK and stopping this IRS, giving out our money to all these student payments…ahem, and getting these illegal aliens back to the first countries they came to after leaving theirs! That’s asylum! Except of course, for the Afghanistans and Ukrainians that helped us and those escaping from war, that’s different.

Larry
Larry
1 year ago

These evil democrats have control now, but my real concern is if, and when the Republicans take control will they fight to preserve our country and repair what the democrats have destroyed? Republicans have a history of being weak-kneed and spineless when fighting hard for their constituents. We have to replace evil with good and strength. So, if you are an establishment Republican you’d better toughen up or get the heck out of the way.

Irv C
Irv C
1 year ago

There’s a lot the GOP could and SHOULD do but I am losing faith. The DemoncRATS Defacate all over Americans American citizens and the GOP itself and they do NOTHING!!
I say this because I’m frustrated with our supposed leaders. It’s all about their wallets and not the Constitution. I’m almost ready to become an ex-Pat . Costa Rica or Belize is looking good. More freedom there than Americans have.

Marc
Marc
1 year ago

Defunding the 87 thousand new IRS agents and their new fleet of electric cars should be their first duty on day one of the new session.

anna hubert
anna hubert
1 year ago

There is no way to appease the beast,.to slay it is the only way

George W Holzman
George W Holzman
1 year ago

Why don’t they send the 87000 agents down to the boarder where they might do some good.

Hal
Hal
1 year ago

The swept under the carpet IRA violation in the Obummer administration should be a red alert that the IRS is NOT performing in a Constitutional manner. The IRS, like several other, Exec offices (e.g., FBI, CIA, etc.) need to have a clean-up from top to bottom. I hope the next Republican President has the guts to do it.

Sgt. Mike
Sgt. Mike
1 year ago

The very first thing that a GOP controlled House should do is REMOVE any and all of the 87,000 new IRS agents and subpoena and investigate Lois Lerner who is a totally corrupt political hack.

Philip Hammersley
Philip Hammersley
1 year ago

WHEN the GOP takes the house and hopefully the Senate, there are enough things to investigate it will be like shooting a flock of ducks with their feet stuck to ice! Hopefully McCarthy won’t wimp out. We have stalwarts like Jordan, Gohmert, Biggs, and others who aren’t afraid of ruffling feathers!
But first, concentrate upon getting Republicans elected. Even if you have to hold your nose on some RINO, we NEED a majority to get anything done! We should also eject Schitt and Swalwell from ALL committees because they are perjurers and leakers!

Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
1 year ago

Now the Census Beaura will be in on thje IRS. Wate and see. KYLE L.

PaulE
PaulE
1 year ago

Yet another article talking about the Congress as if it was a law enforcement agency with real powers to arrest and prosecute suspected violations or actual violations of existing law. That is NOT what the Congress has the power to do. Don’t confuse holding Congressional hearings with the power to arrest and prosecute anyone who appears before it. All Congress has the power to do is write a referral letter to either the DOJ or the FBI and ask that they follow up on information or individuals that Congress feels may be of an illegal criminal or ethical preach breach of federal guidelines and laws. That’s it! Congress can only make a formal request to the DOJ or the FBI to look into the matter. Neither the DOJ nor the FBI is actually obligated to do anything with such requests, as we’ve have all seen repeatedly over the decades by both the DOJ and the FBI as they both routinely ignore many, if not most, such requests from Congress.

The power of Congress is in creating or repealing legislation and the ability to approve or deny the annual budget appropriations of the various federal departments and agencies of the United States government. That is it! If Congress wants to stop the hiring of 87,000 additional IRS agents and the type of future potential discriminatory activity this author describes, then Congress can certainly either vote to repeal the law they just passed to authorize the hiring of those additional IRS agents. If they fails due to a lack of a veto proof majority in Congress, it can then move to simply slash the funding for the IRS to bring the agency to a halt until the Executive Branch agrees to abandon the expansion plans of the IRS. Those are the activities the Congress can legitimately do with the powers they have. The second option of curtailing the IRS budget is actually possible right now as the Senate is working on the latest budget reconcilliation bill as we speak before going on yet another recess. Yet Mitch McConnell appears ready to just rubber stamp it instead of push to pressure Democrats in this area.

These seeminly endless articles about Congress holding neverending hearings that won’t produce any of the results being talked about are a disservice to the readers here and creates false expectations that will never be realized. I understand in this case the writer is a political consultant from the southwest and he wants to energize the voter base ahead of the upcoming midterms. However, all he is doing is elevating expectations, which will then turn into deep voter resentment afterwards when none of this fantasy he is talking about plays out like he suggests. I guess I’m just asking that someone at AMAC just screen some of the articles they decide to run before just throwing them out there and build unrealistic expectations in the readers minds.

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
1 year ago

For ALL agencies day 1 end the Admin State

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