IRS swaps its chief counsel for a lawyer friendly with DOGE, AP sources say
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service's acting chief counsel, William Paul, has been removed from his role at the agency and replaced by Andrew De Mello, an attorney in the chief counsel's office who is deemed supportive of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, according to two people familiar with the plans who were not authorized to speak publicly.
The people said Paul was demoted from his position because he clashed with the DOGE's alleged push to share tax information with multiple agencies. The news also comes as the IRS plans to institute massive cuts to its workforce.
The IRS is drafting plans to cut its workforce by as much as half through a mix of layoffs, attrition and incentivized buyouts as part of the President Donald Trump's efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce. The administration is closing agencies, laying off nearly all probationary employees who have not yet gained civil service protection and offering buyouts to almost all federal employees through a 'deferred resignation program' to quickly reduce the government workforce.
Already, roughly 7,000 probationary IRS employees with roughly one year or less of service were laid off from the organization in February.
Paul was named acting chief counsel to the IRS in January, replacing Marjorie A. Rollinson, and has served in various roles at the IRS since the late 1980's.
Paul is not the first government official to be demoted after voicing concern about access to sensitive systems and taxpayer data.
Government officials across the Treasury Department, the Social Security Administration and other agencies have seen a wave of retirements, resignations and demotions for voicing concern about DOGE access to sensitive systems and taxpayer data.
After 30 years of service, Michelle King, the SSA's acting commissioner, stepped down from her role in February after refusing to provide DOGE access Social Security recipient information, according to two people familiar with the official's departure who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
'The series of IRS officials who have put the law above their personal job security join a line of public servants, stretching back to Treasury and IRS leaders during the Nixon era, who have resisted unlawful attempts by elected officials to weaponize taxpayer data and systems,' Chye-Ching Huang, executive director of the Tax Law Center at New York University School of Law, said in a statement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
17 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary warns Americans on 401(k)s
Most American workers generally understand that Social Security monthly paychecks will one day significantly contribute to their future retirement income. But because those Social Security benefits are not by themselves enough to provide people with the financial resources they need to live on comfortably, most also recognize that 401(k) plans and IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) are additional tools necessary for securing their financial future. However, finding the extra money to contribute to these accounts can be a significant challenge. Kevin O'Leary, a prominent entrepreneur and investor widely known for his appearances on ABC's "Shark Tank," shares a method that enables workers to cut expenses and direct more money toward their 401(k) and IRA savings. He also offers a stark financial warning. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Participating in an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan is a dependable way to build retirement savings, especially when employers offer matching contributions. With automatic payroll deductions, this method allows employees to invest in their future effortlessly, making it both practical and efficient. Related: Jean Chatzky sends strong message to Americans on Social Security IRAs, on the other hand, provide a wider selection of investment options not typically available through 401(k) plans. However, they require more hands-on management, as individuals must open an account and set up automatic contributions independently. In addition to a major warning, O'Leary offers valuable advice on how individuals can cut costs and increase their retirement contributions, which for many Americans primarily consist of 401(k) plans. Many workers who are committed to contributing as much money as they can toward their 401(k) plans find it difficult to do so because their spending habits leave little left to put away for the future. In fact, O'Leary emphasizes, many people spend more than they make - and are working in large part to finance their debts and pay their bills. "You are in constant fear of losing your job, or of your assets losing their value. You worry that one big, unexpected bill might put you under for good, and then you avoid that thought," described O'Leary in his book, "Cold Hard Truth on Men, Women and Money." "You're avoiding the phone and people to whom you owe money. Maybe you're retreating from friends and family out of fear or shame," O'Leary continued. "You're steeped in magical thinking about money - for example, believing you're one lottery ticket, inheritance, or windfall away from total financial transformation." "You wake up in despair and you go to bed defeated. You don't live within your means because you don't even know what they are." More on retirement: Jean Chatzky shares major statement about Social SecurityDave Ramsey sounds alarm for Americans on retirementScott Galloway warns Americans on 401(k), US economy threat O'Leary explains that people who feel this describes them to any degree should correct it immediately. He offers a first step people can take to get a handle on where they stand financially. Related: Dave Ramsey warns Americans on Social Security In order to increase retirement savings and add a larger percentage of their income to 401(k) plans, people first need to get a good feel for where they are financially. O'Leary suggests simplifying money management down to a single figure - either positive or negative. He encourages individuals to calculate their total earnings over three months, calling this their 90-Day Number. The process starts with identifying income. If pay stubs aren't easily accessible, reviewing bank statements can help track all incoming funds, including salaries, side jobs, and other sources of cash flow. Next, he recommends listing all expenses separately - small purchases such as coffee, clothing, and snacks, as well as major costs such as bills, debt payments, rent, and car loans. The key step is subtracting total expenses from total income. If the result is positive, the individual is in good financial shape and can immediately consider increasing their 401(k) contributions. A negative outcome signals a need for adjustments. The extent of necessary changes depends on how much spending exceeds earnings, requiring smarter budgeting to create space for investments in long-term financial security, O'Leary explains. In the latter instance - after some planning, budgeting and hard work - a person can still reach the point of increasing investments in their 401(k) plans. Related: Dave Ramsey sends major message to Americans on IRAs, Roth IRAs The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Newsweek
21 minutes ago
- Newsweek
GOP Senator Accuses Trump Of 'Petty Vindictiveness' After White House Snub
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky excoriated the White House and President Donald Trump on Wednesday after saying he and his family had been disinvited from the annual White House picnic. Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email on Wednesday. The Context Paul suggested he was snubbed from the picnic because of his staunch opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Trump-backed reconciliation package that's under debate in the Senate. The proposal delivers on Trump's top priorities, including more funding for immigration and border security and cementing the tax cuts that were implemented as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Paul is among a handful of congressional Republicans who have vehemently opposed the fiscal plan, with the Kentucky senator saying he will only consider supporting it if it does not raise the federal debt ceiling. What To Know The Kentucky Republican told reporters on Wednesday that his invitation to the White House picnic was rescinded, accusing the Trump administration of engaging in "petty vindictiveness" due to his opposition to Trump's "big, beautiful bill." "And so how do they choose to respond? They are afraid of what I'm saying so they think they're going to punish me, I can't go to the picnic, as if somehow that's going to make me more conciliatory," Paul told reporters. "So it's silly in a way, but it's also just really sad that this is what it's come to. But petty vindictiveness like this, I don't know, it makes you wonder about the quality of people you're dealing with." Paul said that his son, daughter-in-law and grandson were planning to attend the picnic with him. The GOP senator added that he believes every other lawmaker in Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, will be in attendance. Rand Paul: I've just been told that I've been uninvited from the White House picnic. Every Democrat and Republican will be invited. I just find this incredibly petty. It really makes me lose a lot of the respect I had for Donald Trump. — Acyn (@Acyn) June 11, 2025 Paul said that he wasn't sure if the decision to cancel his invitation came from the president himself or another White House staffer. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
San Francisco Chronicle
24 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump administration hit with second lawsuit over restrictions on asylum access
McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Immigration advocates filed a class action lawsuit Wednesday over the Trump administration's use of a proclamation that effectively put an end to being able to seek asylum at ports of entry to the United States. The civil lawsuit was filed in a Southern California federal court by the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, the American Immigration Council, Democracy Forward, and the Center for Constitutional Rights. The lawsuit is asking the court to find the proclamation unlawful, set aside the policy ending asylum at ports of entry and restore access to the asylum process at ports of entry, including for those who had appointments that were canceled when President Donald Trump took office. Unlike a similar lawsuit filed in February in a Washington, D.C., federal court representing people who had already reached U.S. soil and sought asylum after crossing between ports of entry, Wednesday's lawsuit focuses on people who are not on U.S. soil and are seeking asylum at ports of entry. No response was immediately issued by the Department of Homeland Security or Customs and Border Protection, which were both among the defendants listed. Trump's sweeping proclamation issued on his first day in office changed asylum policies, effectively ending asylum at the border. The proclamation said the screening process created by Congress under the Immigration and Nationality Act 'can be wholly ineffective in the border environment' and was 'leading to the unauthorized entry of innumerable illegal aliens into the United States.' Immigrant advocates said that under the proclamation noncitizens seeking asylum at a port of entry are asked to present medical and criminal histories, a requirement for the visa process but not for migrants who are often fleeing from immediate danger. Thousands of people who sought asylum through the CBP One app, a system developed under President Joe Biden, had their appointments at ports of entry canceled on Trump's first day in office as part of the proclamation that declared an invasion at the border. 'The Trump administration has taken drastic steps to block access to the asylum process, in flagrant violation of U.S. law,' the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies stated in a news release Wednesday.
