WASHINGTON – Following reports from multiple, diverse outlets that raise serious questions and concerns about the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) adherence to the letter and spirit of taxpayer rights—standards which IRS Commissioner Werfel has previously pledged to uphold—U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), along with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho.) and U.S. Senate Finance Committee Republicans, are calling for information from the IRS and requesting an investigation from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) on numerous serious reports of IRS employee misconduct. 

In a letter to the IRS, the senators request information on several news reports to help the Committee better understand these allegations.

“As Commissioner of the IRS, you pledged an oath to uphold the Constitution and become personally responsible to ‘ensure’ that all IRS employees ‘act in accord’ with each of the statutory taxpayer rights, including the right to a fair and just tax system,” the senators wrote. “We are concerned that these serious allegations, which have occurred in a short period of time and represent a diverse array of taxpayers, could show a pattern of heavy-handed IRS misconduct.”

In a separate letter to TIGTA, the senators request an investigation into one specific alleged incident of IRS misconduct and taxpayer intimidation, highlighting the statutory responsibility of TIGTA to supervise the operations of the IRS, including its criminal functions and employees:

“Americans have a right to know whether the serious allegations described above are being investigated,” the senators stated. “We urge TIGTA to open an investigation immediately, and further ask TIGTA to be prepared to provide Members of the Finance Committee with regularly scheduled updates and briefings on the progress of your investigation.”

Sens. Johnson and Crapo are joined on this letter by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).

Read the letter to the IRS here, and the letter to TIGTA here.

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