By Pete McGinnis (Federal Newswire, Op-ed)
Last week, many who focus on openness in government celebrated Sunshine Week and National Freedom of Information Day on March 16, observed on the birthday of James Madison, the Father of the Constitution. These events highlight the importance of government transparency. However, instead of openness, the IRS remains shrouded in darkness. The Functional Government Initiative’s (FGI) ongoing transparency lawsuit against the IRS provides a clear example of the agency’s lack of transparency.
In February 2022, the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) submitted a Freedom of Information request seeking records on the Biden Administration’s IRS proposals. The proposals called for an $80 billion increase to the IRS budget for hiring 87,000 new agents and new rules to require taxpayers to report transactions that total as low as $600, among other proposals.