House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan is demanding an explanation from the IRS as to why one of its agents used a fake name to enter an Ohio woman's home and then told her he "could go into anyone's house at any time I want."
In a letter sent to the IRS on Friday, Jordan revealed that he had recently learned of allegations about an agent going by “Bill Haus” showing up at the woman’s home in April.
“We have recently received allegations that an Internal Revenue Service agent provided a false name to an Ohio taxpayer as part of a deception to gain entry into the taxpayer’s home to confront her about delinquent tax filings,” the letter reads. “When the taxpayer rightfully objected to the agent’s tactics, the IRS agent insisted that he ‘can . . . go into anyone’s house at any time’ as an IRS agent. These allegations raise serious concerns about the IRS’s commitment to fundamental civil liberties.”
After using the fake name, the agent entered the woman’s home and informed her she owed a significant amount in taxes for an estate of which she was a “fiduciary,” according to the letter. The agent allegedly told the woman that he was actually there to discuss “several delinquent tax return filings” from the estate’s deceased owner.
The woman then called her attorney, who instructed her to tell the agent to leave. But he refused, claiming that he could be at any house at “any time,” according to Jordan's letter. Before leaving, the agent allegedly “threatened that she had one week to satisfy the remaining balance or he would freeze all her assets and put a lien on her house.”
After being contacted by the woman, the police than called the IRS agent and determined that he was using a false identity, instructing him to stay away from the taxpayer, according to the letter. In response, the agent allegedly filed a complaint against the officer with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
The woman spoke with the agent's supervisor on May 4 who informed her that nothing was owed on the estate and that “things never should have gotten this far,” according to the letter. The case was then closed the following day.
Jordan ordered the IRS to send all documents and communications on the incident to the committee, including all communication between the agency and the Treasury Department or “any other Executive Branch entity” with a deadline of June 30 at 5 p.m., according to the letter.
The IRS has come under scrutiny recently after it deployed an agent to make an unannounced visit to the home of independent journalist Matt Taibbi in May while he was testifying to the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.
First, the IRS knocked on @mtaibbi’s door while he was testifying.
Now, we learn they harassed one of our constituents who didn’t do anything wrong. And to top it off, the IRS agent used a fake name to enter the constituent’s home. pic.twitter.com/EJX0Qlynte — Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) June 17, 2023
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