William Long Nominee for IRS Commissioner Grilled on Political Targeting and Donations

IRS Funding and Taxpayer Service

• 💡 William Long affirmed he would work with and listen to taxpayer advocates to ensure their advice is heard in his office.
• 🎯 He noted that additional IRS funding has led to improved taxpayer service, including diminished wait times and quicker answers.

Preventing Political Targeting

• 🚫 When questioned about using the IRS against perceived political enemies, Long stated unequivocally, "It's not going to happen on my watch."
• 🛡️ He committed to making this policy clear and establishing internal policies to prevent circumvention by White House directives.
• ⚖️ Long compared the IRS's need for clear communication channels to the Department of Justice's scrupulousness in preventing external influence on prosecutions.

Tax Credit Investigation

• 🔍 Regarding a tax credit that a former IRS employee stated does not exist, Long indicated that anyone doing anything illegal should be investigated.
• ⚠️ He assured that there would be no retaliation against employees who report such issues.

Campaign Donations and Transparency

• 💰 Long addressed questions about a significant influx of donations to his personal accounts after a period of no activity, coinciding with his IRS commissioner nomination.
• 📜 He stated that all donations were handled in compliance with Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules and were publicly reported.
• 🤝 He promised to share all communications related to the surge in contributions that were submitted to the FEC.