In Wisconsin, Ron Johnson is confronting the IRS over the digital theft of 100,000 tax returns. The Hill reports:
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) on Tuesday hammered IRS officials over a basic security design flaw that contributed to the digital theft of over 100,000 people’s tax returns. The IRS revealed last week that 104,000 taxpayers had their personal information nabbed by what the agency and lawmakers believe was an organized crime syndicate. The data pilfered via the “Get Transcript” application has led to at least $39 million in fraudulent returns.
In Arkansas, Senator John Boozman wrote an op-ed in USA Today, arguing against further spending of taxpayer dollars to make the IRS more efficient.
Americans expect a tax agency to protect their personal information, provide good customer service and be accountable and fair. The priorities of the IRS do not reflect the demands of hardworking taxpayers. Every agency in Washington has been asked to do more with less. The IRS is no different. By making irresponsible decisions with taxpayer dollars, the IRS is failing to adapt to today’s fiscal realities. One of the agency’s first actions after receiving its funding for this fiscal year was to announce it would pay out more than $60 million in bonuses to employees.
An article from TIME illustrates yet another Republican Senator, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, challenging the IRS hacking:
The agency agreed to change its policy after New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte wrote to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen in response to the recent “Get Transcript” application hack. Ayotte urged the agency to provide victims with copies of bogus returns filed in their names so that they could better understand the extent of the ID theft. The agency had previously refused to release the fraudulent returns for privacy reasons.
It is clear that Senator Ron Johnson (WI), Senator John Boozman (AR), and Senator Kelly Ayotte (NH) are standing up to the IRS and fighting for the American people and victims of tax fraud.