Elon Musk’s U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is seeking access to a highly secure IRS system containing financial data on all taxpayers, businesses, and nonprofits, raising concerns within the tax agency. Under pressure from the White House, the IRS is considering granting DOGE officials access to the Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS), which allows IRS employees to view and modify tax records.
A draft memorandum shows that DOGE software engineer Gavin Kliger is set to work at the IRS for 120 days, with the option to extend. His role focuses on IT modernization, but his potential access to IDRS has alarmed IRS officials. IDRS access is typically restricted, and unauthorized use can result in legal penalties.
The acting IRS commissioner has not yet approved Kliger’s access, and concerns persist about political influence over tax data. The IRS is undergoing IT modernization, but experts warn that granting political appointees access to taxpayer records is highly unusual. The move comes amid broader concerns about the IRS’s independence, especially as the agency prepares for mass layoffs ordered by former President Trump.
Can no one stop this. Are all the guardrails protecting the citizens been demolished in the face of overweening greed and corruption? I do not consent to the Muskrat King and his basement trolls running their nasty claws through my personal data.
Thanks Nick for this powerful art on the loss of our most sensitive to unelected Elon and his vicious gang of storm trooper geeks. Must be stopped. Any Rs with a spine. This issue is nonpartisan and Musk’s theft of our data hurts all citizens. Keep up the good work.