The new Republican chairman of the panel that oversees the IRS said Wednesday that he has created a new online form for agency employees to report directly to Congress on any abuses or wrongdoing they see.
Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he doesn’t trust IRS bigwigs to reveal their mishaps, so he’s asking rank-and-file employees to snitch.
He said the report form is part of his plan to aggressively monitor the IRS’s activities.
“The American people are demanding accountability, and they deserve answers,” he said. “By providing IRS personnel with a safe, secure, and confidential way to provide information that might be vital to protecting taxpayers, the Ways and Means Committee is delivering on our commitment to hold government accountable.”
The form is found at https://waysandmeans.house.gov/irswhistleblower/.
It warns employees not to use IRS resources to file complaints in order “to better protect your communications,” and also suggested employees not communicate while on government time.
Mr. Smith sent a letter to acting IRS Commissioner Douglas O’Donnell about the snitch line, and asked that the commissioner share it with all agency employees.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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