The Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to approve President Donald Trump’s nomination of former Missouri Rep. Billy Long to lead the IRS over the objections of Democrats, who cited his ties to firms hawking phony and fraudulent tax credits.
Finance Chairman Michael D. Crapo, R-Idaho, in opening remarks praised the former six-term GOP lawmaker and sought to distance Long from allegations that he had promoted phony “tribal tax credits” as well as questions about recent donations to his 2022 Senate campaign.
Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on Finance, outlined the case against Long in his opening remarks, chiefly that Long lacked tax policy experience while in Congress and since leaving office developed financial ties to shady tax credit promoters.
