Comment President Biden will nominate Daniel Werfel to head the Internal Revenue Service, according to two people and a senior administration official familiar with the matter. Werfel served in the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, working at senior levels of the White House Office of Management and Budget and the IRS. Werfel also served as IRS commissioner in 2013, taking over after top officials resigned amid controversy over control of the agency by conservative nonprofit groups. He currently works at Boston Consulting Group, leading the firm’s public sector practice, according to its website. The nomination comes at a critical time for the IRS. Congressional Democrats this year approved an $80 billion increase in the agency’s budget, aimed at raising federal revenue by targeting tax fraud. Congressional Republicans have vowed to resist those changes and have devoted much of their 2022 midterm campaign message to attacking Biden’s plan to strengthen the IRS. A GOP-led House could launch major battles against the IRS. If confirmed by the Senate, Werfel will also face the challenge of improving IRS customer service, which has struggled amid the pandemic after years of GOP-led budget cuts. Control of the House and Senate next year remains unclear, with results still being measured in key races from this week’s election. Current IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig is stepping down when his term ends Saturday. Nominated by President Donald Trump in 2018. “This is a very good appointment. Werfel is a seasoned executive who understands the agency and helped through a critical time in 2013,” said Mark Everson, who served as IRS commissioner during the Bush administration, citing the firestorm over scrutiny of conservative groups. . “He’s done a great job coming into the agency during a difficult time, so he’s well suited for the job.” Biden to replace IRS commissioner as Democrats seek to overhaul IRS Representatives for the White House and the Treasury Department did not immediately return a request for comment. A call to Boston Consulting Group was also not returned. The timing of Biden’s announcement was unclear. Congressional Democrats were furious with Rettig for refusing to release Trump’s tax returns, though they praised Rettig for implementing coronavirus spending measures such as stimulus checks and an expanded child tax credit. Douglas O’Donnell, deputy commissioner and longtime IRS official, will lead the agency on an interim basis starting Saturday. Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness, a left-leaning group, said the next IRS leader faces the critical task of “vigorously prosecuting tax cheats to make sure they pay their fair share.” “The IRS commissioner is getting a huge infusion of money to bring the agency into the modern era,” Clemente said. “It’s an extremely important position, especially given the target on the agency’s back from Republicans.” This is breaking news and will be updated.
