04/06/2017

House Republicans Urge Trump to Fire IRS Chief

Fifteen GOP members believe the chief has numerous shortcomings

Fifteen Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee this week called on President Donald Trump to fire Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen for his “numerous shortcomings.” The call for Koskinen’s removal came just as the IRS chief was scheduled to testify about the tax-filing season before the Senate Finance Committee and less than two weeks before the April 18 tax-filing deadline.

House tax writers have not forgiven Koskinen for what they said were efforts on his part to obstruct their investigation into the IRS’s handling of conservative groups’ applications for tax-exempt status.

“Trust in the IRS is hitting rock-bottom under IRS Commissioner John Koskinen,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Trump. “Not only was key evidence relevant to this committee’s investigation destroyed under his watch, but he also misled Congress in the process, intentionally degraded customer service at the agency and has since lost the trust of the American people.”

Koskinen said earlier today he is committed to finishing his term, which ends in November.

“Where I come from, if you sign up for a commitment, you complete that commitment,” said Koskinen.

This article was provided to OSAE for reprint from The Power of A.