As the House GOP investigation into the weaponization of government continues to make strides, Democrats are quick to denounce the efforts. However, recent developments suggest that the Republicans may be on to something.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan has written a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen seeking an explanation for an unannounced home visit by an IRS agent to journalist Matt Taibbi. The circumstances and timing of this visit have raised eyebrows, particularly as Taibbi had testified before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government just days prior.
House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan is probing an unannounced, in-person visit by the IRS to the home of Matt Taibbi on the same day the "Twitter Files" journalist warned of a sprawling "censorship industrial complex" in testimony before the… https://t.co/Zl31gm3vIR
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) March 28, 2023
Taibbi has drawn criticism from Democrats and fellow journalists for his work investigating Twitter records and exposing the social media giant’s censorship and contacts with government officials. This work has already resulted in government harassment, with the Federal Trade Commission targeting new Twitter owner Elon Musk and demanding that the company identify all journalists granted access to its files.
Now, Taibbi has informed Mr. Jordan’s committee that an IRS agent visited his New Jersey home on March 9, the same day he testified before the Select Subcommittee. The agent left a note instructing Taibbi to call the IRS four days later, and he was informed that his 2018 and 2021 tax returns had been rejected due to concerns over identity theft.
Democrats may be quick to dismiss the House GOP investigation, but this latest evidence suggests that the weaponization of government is a very real concern that must be addressed.