Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Ahead Of The Senate Vote To Confirm Billy Long To Be Commissioner Of The IRS

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the Senate’s vote to confirm Billy Long to be IRS Commissioner, urging Senate Republicans to reject this radical, unqualified nominee. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Senate Republicans want to put a tax fraudster in charge of the IRS.

Let me repeat that: Senate Republicans want to put a tax fraudster in charge of the IRS. And I wish that was just a figure of speech.

But in a little over an hour, Senate Republicans will vote on the confirmation of William Long to be the Commissioner of the IRS.

I will vehemently oppose Mr. Long’s nomination.

To have a tax fraudster and a swindler like Mr. Long in charge of the IRS is abominable. It shows that the only thing Donald Trump cares about is helping cheaters and liars get ahead, while leaving honest hardworking families in the dust.

Mr. Long’s background has nothing that makes him qualified to be IRS commissioner.

His only qualification, like so many of Trump’s nominees who have had no experience and no knowledge, is that he is a MAGA cheerleader.

He had no expertise in tax policy while in Congress.

And after he left office, he joined the tax scam industry.

In one instance, Mr. Long was paid over $60,000 by firms that sold totally fabricated tax credits to investors and small businesses.

When asked about his role in this scheme in Committee, Mr. Long refused to answer.

When investigators sent him questions, he went dark.

After Mr. Long’s nomination was announced, the CFO of the company that swindled these businesses told its investors not to worry, they’ll soon have a buddy at the IRS who will take off the heat.

This is rank corruption. Donald Trump naming someone as compromised as Mr. Long is just allowing corruption to be winked at, nodded at, even approved.

Under Mr. Long, the IRS will become the Department of MAGA Crooks. Donald Trump will use the IRS as he has used other agencies to punish his political opponents, to help cheaters and tax evaders, all while hardworking families watch billionaires pay less in taxes.

I implore Senate Republicans to reject Mr. Long from being IRS Commissioner.

###