The IRS conducted purportedly random, intensive audits of two former top FBI officials who drew the ire of former President Trump, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
The Times published letters received by former FBI Director James Comey and Andrew McCabe, his deputy who became acting director after Trump fired Comey, indicating the IRS was conducting National Research Program audits of their 2017 and 2019 tax returns, respectively.
“We must examine randomly-selected tax returns to better understand tax compliance and improve the fairness of the tax system,” both letters state.
Trump has repeatedly criticized both men for their roles in investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election both during and after their time at the bureau.
The Times reported that the odds of being selected for the specific audit were tiny, with the IRS having targeted about 1 in every 30,600 tax returns for the intensive scrutiny in 2017.
“Maybe it’s a coincidence or maybe somebody misused the IRS to get at a political enemy,” Comey told the Times. “Given the role Trump wants to continue to play in our country, we should know the answer to that question.”
Comey received a $347 refund after the audit, while McCabe, who echoed similar concerns about his audit, owed a small amount of money, according to the Times.
“The revenue agent I dealt with was professional and responsive,” McCabe told the Times. “Nevertheless, I have significant questions about how or why I was selected for this.”
Trump appointee Charles Rettig ran the IRS during both audits.
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JUST IN: Comey, McCabe faced rare, intensive tax audits by IRS under Trump appointee: report https://t.co/oSl8Hr4vlg pic.twitter.com/s2TzStQSi0
— The Hill (@thehill) July 7, 2022
The two Trump foes were subjected to the most invasive type of random audit carried out by the I.R.S., known, only partly jokingly, as “an autopsy without the benefit of death.” Neither man knew the other had been audited until told by the NYT https://t.co/0Bad9WQwXh
— Yonette Joseph (@YonetteJo) July 6, 2022
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