On Wednesday, Donald Trump nominated former Rep. Billy Lengthy to chair the Inner Income Service, a Missouri Republican who tried to abolish the tax-collecting company whereas serving in Congress.
Lengthy was a cosponsor of the Truthful Tax Act, a invoice that will abolish earnings taxes and as a substitute implement a whopping 23% gross sales tax—a regressive tax that the Tax Coverage Heart stated would result in a tax improve on the center class and a large minimize for the wealthiest People. The invoice Lengthy co-sponsored additionally sought to repeal the sixteenth Modification to the Structure, which supplies Congress the ability to create and gather earnings taxes, and in the end would abolish the IRS totally.
The invoice Lengthy cosponsored tracks with the targets of Mission 2025, the right-wing roadmap for Trump’s second time period. Just like the Truthful Tax Act, Mission 2025 requires changing particular person and company earnings taxes with a consumption tax, which the Heart for American Progress stated would result in a “$5,900 tax increase for the middle 20% of households and an average $2 million tax cut for the top 0.1%.”
Lengthy additionally was the cosponsor of a invoice that will repeal the property tax, which solely kicks in for individuals who inherit greater than $13.6 million—amounting to yet one more giveaway to the mega wealthy.
Since leaving Congress in 2023, Lengthy has been serving as a tax adviser to companies, and has inspired them to make use of a pandemic-era Worker Retention Tax Credit score that is value the federal government billions greater than anticipated because of it being rife with fraud.
Trump touted this work as a motive why he selected Lengthy to steer the IRS.
“Since leaving Congress, Billy has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations,” Trump stated in a Reality Social put up. “I have known Billy since 2011 – He is an extremely hard worker, and respected by all, especially by those who know him in Congress. Taxpayers and the wonderful employees of the IRS will love having Billy at the helm. He is the consummate ‘people person,’ well respected on both sides of the aisle.”
Democratic senators are already involved about Lengthy’s work serving to companies rip-off the federal government.
“There are a lot of reasons why former Congressman Billy Long is a bizarre choice for this role,” Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, advised Roll Name. “What’s most concerning is that Mr. Long left office and jumped into the scam-plagued industry involving the Employee Retention Tax Credit.”
With a view to get Lengthy confirmed, he has to fireside present IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, whose time period expires in November 2027.
The New York Instances reported that Werfel has no intention of leaving his put up, saying that he advised a podcast in November: “I have a vision of my last day on the job being Nov. 12, 2027. My frame of mind on the IRS is that it’s nonpartisan, is that our priorities can and should shift with new Treasury leadership.”
It wouldn’t be the primary particular person Trump intends to fireside with a view to set up his personal corrupt cronies.
Trump additionally needs to fireside FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom he appointed throughout his first time period, and change him with Kash Patel, a right-wing conspiracy theorist and Trump loyalist who needs to assist Trump search revenge on his perceived enemies.
