Twitter files reporter Matt Taibbi had an unannounced visit from the IRS at his home while he was testifying before Congress.
This is curious because IRS agents don’t normally make home visits, even if they seek to audit your tax records.
The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board wrote about this incident last night and suggested it wreaks of intimidation by the federal government, especially since they’ve suddenly rejected Tabbi’s 2018 tax return which was accepted without incident years ago.
Michael Shellenberger, who testified alongside Taibbi, tweeted excerpts from the article:
While @mtaibbi & I were testifying before Congress on the weaponization of the federal government, an IRS agent showed up at his house. What an amazing coincidence https://t.co/gRGSIa3HRr
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) March 28, 2023
“When did the IRS start to dispatch agents for surprise house calls?. If the IRS wants to audit a return, it schedules a meeting at the agent’s office. It doesn’t drop by unannounced.”
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) March 28, 2023
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan is demanding documents and communication from the IRS and Treasury Secretary Jannet Yellen on why they needed to show up at Taibbi’s home. The Journal feels this is the right course of action considering the very odd behavior of the IRS.
“The curious timing of this visit, on the heels of the FTC demand that Twitter turn over names of journalists, raises questions about potential intimidation, and Mr. Jordan is right to want to see documents and communications relating to the Taibbi visit.”
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) March 28, 2023
Along with the accepted 2018 tax return that the IRS has suddenly felt the need to reject, it has also rejected Taibbi 2021 tax return. It has never accepted that one and Taibbi is providing all of those documents to the Jordan’s committee as well:
“Mr. Taibbi has provided the committee with documentation showing his 2018 return had been electronically accepted, and he says the IRS never notified him or his accountants of a problem after he filed that 2018 return more than four-and-a-half years ago.”
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) March 28, 2023
Given the behavior of the IRS targeting conservatives under Obama and how Biden is clearly weaponizing the FBI and DOJ to go after his enemies – like Trump – this absolutely needs to be investigated by Jordan in order to hold the Biden administration accountable and stop this intimidation.