The Trump administration is reportedly gearing up to broaden the scope of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigations, potentially targeting left-leaning groups and major Democratic donors.
Shake-Up Could Enable Probes Into Democratic Donors
The perceived changes would make it easier for the agency to initiate criminal inquiries into left-leaning groups, including prominent Democratic donors, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. This move is reportedly being spearheaded by a senior IRS official with the intention of placing President Donald Trump‘s allies in key positions within the IRS’s Criminal Investigation unit.
The official behind these changes, Gary Shapley, is compiling a list of potential targets, including Democratic donors like billionaire George Soros, according to the report.
President Trump has instructed Treasury Secretary and acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent to investigate financial networks allegedly linked to funding political violence.
Bessent, on the Charlie Kirk show on Tuesday, has likened the agency’s efforts to the Treasury Department’s work targeting terrorism-financing networks post the 9/11 attacks.
This development is the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration targeting left-leaning groups and individuals. In September, Trump called for the imprisonment of George Soros, accusing him of supporting violent protests across the U.S. He also labeled Soros as a “bad guy” who “should be put in jail.”
In the same month, Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue criminal charges against several political figures, expressing frustration with what he called delays in the Justice Department’s investigations.
Democrats Condemn Trump's Alleged Retaliatory Tactics
Despite these actions, prominent Democrats like Sen. Adam Schiff have vowed to stand firm against what they see as Trump’s efforts to target political opponents with legal threats and indictments.
Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) accused Trump of using the Justice Department to target his critics, citing the federal indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James as evidence that he is “openly seeking revenge on his political opponents.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
