Senator Braun, Colleagues Call for Investigation Into Political Weaponization of IRS Data After “Vast Trove” of Tax Info Published by ProPublica

Taxpayers should have confidence in federal institutions that maintain their personal information. This is why Senators Mike Braun (IN), Mike Lee (UT), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Ted Cruz (TX), and Ron Johnson (WI) wrote two key Inspectors General for Tax Administration at the United States Department of the Treasury to ask that they investigate the loss of confidential IRS data of thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people.

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Press Release from Senator Mike Braun’s Office

WASHINGTON – Following ProPublica’s publication of a “vast trove” of taxpayer information provided to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that appears to be confidential information and protected under federal law from disclosure, Senator Mike Braun and colleagues Senator Mike Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Ted Cruz, and Senator Ron Johnson have sent letters to the Acting Treasury Inspector General and the Inspector General for Tax Administration to request a prompt investigation into how this IRS information was lost and to hold accountable any individuals who broke federal law by inappropriately sharing confidential tax information.

“Taxpayers must have the utmost confidence in federal institutions that house their personal and confidential information,” the senators write in the letter. “Regrettably, American citizens have reason to be distrusting, having witnessed IRS personnel weaponize information in recent years for the purpose of targeting certain tax-exempt organizations for political reasons during the Obama Administration.

“Regrettably, it appears personnel with access to American’s personal and confidential information are again misusing protected information for political reasons. Treasury and the IRS must hold accountable any and all individuals who broke federal law by inappropriately sharing the confidential tax information and tax returns of multiple Americans.”