Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., joined ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ to discuss the latest news emerging from the GOP’s investigation into President Biden and the GOP’s spending resolution bill. The House Ways and Means Committee is demanding answers from the Justice Department on why it charged a former IRS consultant with one count of unauthorized disclosure of taxpayer information, including information belonging to former President Trump and thousands of wealthy Americans, despite the individual admitting to two separate disclosures.
The former IRS official, Charles Littlejohn, pleaded guilty last month to one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax return information. The Justice Department accused him of leaking tax information belonging to former President Trump and “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest individuals” to news outlets between 2018 and 2020. Littlejohn accessed tax returns on an IRS database and saved the tax returns on personal storage devices, including an iPod.
The Justice Department did not specify the two news organizations that Littlejohn leaked the documents to, but it was revealed that the two organizations were the New York Times and ProPublica, a New York City-based nonprofit investigative journalism group. The House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., expressed concern about the Department of Justice’s decision to charge Littlejohn with only one count of unauthorized disclosure, despite his admissions of making two distinct disclosures to two separate news organizations.
Smith argued that the charges against Littlejohn should have reflected the severity of the breach, which he referred to as “the largest breach of confidential tax information in American history.” Smith criticized the Justice Department for only charging Littlejohn with one count and failing to charge him for obstruction of justice, despite his admission to obstructing the investigation.
Smith demanded that the Justice Department provide explanations for their charging decisions and provide information to the committee by November 22. He emphasized the importance of protecting taxpayer information and expressed concerns about a potential two-tiered system of justice in the nation.
The sentencing for Littlejohn is scheduled for January 29, 2024, and he could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. House Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee are committed to ensuring the protection of private taxpayer information and will continue to demand transparency and accountability from the Department of Justice.
In conclusion, the unauthorized disclosure of taxpayer information by Charles Littlejohn has raised concerns among House Republicans, who believe that the charges against him do not adequately reflect the severity of the breach. The House Ways and Means Committee is seeking answers from the Justice Department and demanding transparency and accountability in order to protect the sensitive taxpayer information of millions of Americans.
