Charles E. Grassley: “Another issue that concerns me is the IRS' handling of anonymous tips. Before the Berlin Wall came down, we all heard…”

“Another issue that concerns me is the IRS' handling of anonymous tips. Before the Berlin Wall came down, we all heard about places where friends and neighbors called in and informed on each other. Its something totalitarian governments like to encourage. The IRS has its own peculiar program that rewards and encourages people to point the finger at private citizens. The IRS will open an investigation on you or me without our knowledge based on minimal information. If the IRS finds nothing wrong, your faceless accuser will not be punished for his mistake. I asked the Department of the Treasury several questions about this program, and its replies are disturbing. Approximately 40 percent of the people investigated by the IRS based on outside accusations were found to be completely innocent. However, that does not mean they were not subject to intense scrutiny by the IRS. And how much did the IRS recover from the rest of the people? A couple million bucks out of well over $1 trillion in revenue. The Congress needs to consider whether this policy is a cost-efficient use of the time of IRS agents; but more importantly, whether the benefits from this policy are really worth the drawbacks to the freedoms we all cherish. Finally, let me note that these concerns about the IRS are not specific to this administration. These are issues that well predate the current administration.”