By Fatima Hussein, Associated Press
Washington (AP) – The Elon Musk Government Ministry of Elon Musk is trying to access the Toves from sensitive data from taxpayers to IRS, two people familiar with the interior functioning of the plan who were not allowed to discuss The case publicly told the Associated Press on Monday.
In the event of success, Musk and his group would have access to millions of closely controlled files which include taxpayer information, banking files and other sensitive recordings. The people who spoke at the AP and asked for anonymity said that Doge specifically seeks to access the integrated IRS recovery system, which allows employees to have instant visual access to certain accounts of taxpayers “, According to the IRS website.
The defenders fear that the potential illegal release of taxpayers’ files will be used to target Americans maliciously, violating their privacy and creating other ramifications.
Harrison Fields, a White House spokesman, said in a statement sent by email that “waste, fraud and abuses have been deeply rooted in our broken system for too long. You need direct access to the system to identify and repair it. »»
“Doge will continue to highlight the fraud they discover, because the American people deserves to know what their government has spent their hard taxes won,” he said.
Democratic legislators are trying to combat DOGE’s plans to access IRS data. Sense. Ron Wyden, D-ear., And Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sent a letter on Monday to the IRS interim commissioner, Douglas O’Donnell, demanding copies of all the memos that would grant access to the IRS system to Musk or Doge. Senators are also looking for justifications for DOGE’s efforts to inspect income declarations and private banking files.
In addition to the fears that the access of DOGE to taxpayers is not legal: “We are also extremely concerned about the fact that DOGE staff are mixed with IRS systems in the middle of the tax deposit season may, by Inadvertance or other indefinitely ”, reads the letter.
“Any delay in reimbursements could be financially devastating for millions of Americans who plan their budgets around reimbursements in a timely time every spring.”
January 27 was the official start date of the 2025 tax season, and the IRS expects more than 140 million income declarations to be produced by the deadline of April 15.
The Washington Post reported for the first time DOGE plans to access taxpayers.
The news comes while the IRS plans to dismiss thousands of probationary workers in the middle of the tax season, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s plans which have not been authorized to discuss it publicly. The cuts could occur this week.
Previously, IRS employees involved in the 2025 tax season have been informed that they would not be authorized to accept a buy -back offer from the Trump administration only after the deadline for the deposit of taxpayers, according to a letter Recently sent to IRS employees.
In addition, the general prosecutors of 14 states have challenged the authority of Doge to access sensitive government data hosted at Treasury and to exercise “a practically uncontrolled power” in a trial filed on Thursday.
The trial, submitted to the Washington Federal Court, indicates that the actions taken by Musk at the head of Doge can only be taken by an official appointed and confirmed by the Senate. He cites constitutional provisions which delimit the powers of the Congress and the President.
A new account on Musk’s social media site, X, called Doge IRS, says: “Doge is looking for public help!” The users’ request account to contact “with information on research and repair of waste, fraud and abuse concerning the internal income service”.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
