These articles are probably going to cause you to take a double-take:
“IRS Failed to Do Background Checks on Contractors”
“The IRS failed to do background checks on some private contractors who handled confidential taxpayer information, exposing more than a million taxpayers to an increased risk of fraud and identity theft, a government investigator said Thursday.”
“IRS Handed Taxpayer Information to Contractors Without Background Checks”
“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said in a report released Thursday that the IRS handed over a disc containing sensitive data on about 1.4 million taxpayers to a printing firm without any of the company’s employees being subjected to screenings.”
Yeah, you read that right. The IRS – already known for its inability to keep records, save emails, and hold their staff accountable – has now exposed more than 1 million taxpayers to “increased risk of fraud and identity theft” by giving their private information away.
“IRS policy requires contractors with access to confidential taxpayer information to undergo background checks, though the policy wasn’t always followed, the report said. About 10,000 private contractors have access to such information.”
Additionally, the Washington Post reports:
“… auditors determined that 20 IRS contracts involved non-agency personnel who had not signed nondisclosure agreements, according to the report.”
This type of systematic abuse is dangerous and reckless for Americans. Already this year, House Republicans have demanded the truth surrounding “missing” emails and destroyed hard drives through multiple hearings – and have even passed a bill limiting their spending abilities. Yet, as stories like these continue to arise, the pursuit of accountability must continue.
The IRS is given great responsibility – and as representatives of the American people, House Republicans know that holding the IRS accountable is our responsibility.
