“Apparently, Democrats think transparency is unnecessary for tax collectors for the welfare state,” points out the Washington Examiner editorial board, calling attention to Democrats’ scheme to cover for the IRS’s decision to destroy 30 million tax returns.

Democrats blocked a request for an explanation into the sudden destruction of these tax returns by the agency, while readily handing the IRS $80 million to hire 87,000 new agents to go after lower- and middle-income families.

Republicans’ Commitment to America includes the promise to conduct rigorous oversight to rein in government abuse of power , and to provide real transparency.

READ: Democrats Obstruct Inquiry Into IRS’s Sudden Destruction of 30 Million Tax Returns

KEY EXCERPTS:

Democrats refuse to hold Washington accountable, allowing government agencies to trample over American families and workers.

• “Democrats are not only uninterested in a fuller explanation but are actively blocking attempts to secure one. The committee meeting video shows they offered scant explanation for aiding the IRS’s cover-up other than citing a private briefing the IRS gave to some committee members (while still refusing to provide the memorandum).”

• “The Democrats look like they are aiding an IRS protection racket. Their assistance with the IRS’s whitewash comes on the heels of their forcing through Congress, with no Republican support, a law providing $80 billion in additional money to the tax agency, largely to hire 87,000 more agents.”

READ: Democrats Help Biden Administration Dodge Inquiries on Overreach and Failures

Democrats voted to supercharge the IRS, but voted against guardrails that would have protected lower- and middle- income taxpayers from more audits.

• “Of those [87,000] new agents, 14 times as many are to be assigned to enforcement, meaning punishing taxpayers, as those assigned to help-desk assistance for taxpayers who see nine of every 10 of their phone calls to the agency go unanswered.”

• “Don’t be fooled: The past IRS practice of auditing poor families at five times the rate of everyone else will surely continue, specifically because Democrats insist on it.”

• “When Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) offered an amendment to prohibit the new IRS money from being used for auditing taxpayers with incomes below $400,000, Democrats torpedoed his motion.”

READ: Democrats Fail to Protect Middle Class From IRS Audits

READ: Ways and Means Republicans Introduce Bill to Protect Middle Class, Small Businesses from Supersized IRS

KEY BACKGROUND: 

Congress has oversight authority over the IRS and needs to review the agency’s decision to destroy 30 million tax returns.

• The Ways and Means Committee is responsible for oversight of the IRS and the decision to destroy these paper returns warrants serious, substantive review.

• Earlier this year, Ways and Means directly requested a copy of the decision memorandum from the IRS.

• Despite repeated demands, the IRS has refused to provide the decision memorandum it used to justify the move, instead replying with a blanket denial that broadly prevents Congress from performing its appropriate oversight role.