Democrats and tax experts are expressing serious concerns about DOGE's plan to gain access to an IRS system containing detailed financial information of millions of taxpayers, including tax returns.
Concerns Raised by Rep. Jimmy Gomez
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, has labeled this move as a 'five-alarm warning' and condemned it as an 'illegal and blatant power grab'.
DOGE's Request and White House Confirmation
The Department of Government Efficiency, affiliated with DOGE, is seeking access to the IRS's Integrated Data Retrieval System, a move confirmed by a White House official.
Security Measures and Public Reaction
DOGE's agreement with the IRS includes strict confidentiality measures for the individual granted access to the database, emphasizing the sensitive nature of the data.
The unprecedented nature of this request has raised alarms among tax professionals, particularly during the ongoing tax-filing season, leading to concerns about IRS service levels and modernization efforts.
Response from the Treasury Department and American Institute of CPAs
Lily Batchelder from the Treasury Department and Mark Koziel from the American Institute of CPAs have expressed reservations and emphasized the need for a fully functional and trustworthy IRS agency.
White House's Justification
White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended the access request, citing the need to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within the system for overall improvement.
As the situation unfolds, stakeholders continue to monitor the developments and implications of DOGE's potential access to private taxpayer data.
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