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Pete Hegseth Says Biden’s IRS Targeted Him With ‘Sham’ Audit on Their Way Out the Door
American Greatness ^ | 18 Feb, 2025 | Debra Heine

Posted on 02/18/2025 4:16:49 AM PST by MtnClimber

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday accused the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of targeting him with a politically motivated audit in the last days of the Biden regime, calling the move a “total sham.”

“Of course the outgoing Biden IRS rushed an ‘audit’ of the incoming SecDef,” Hegseth wrote on his official X account, adding: “Total sham.” Hegseth included a photo of an IRS document stating that he and his wife Jennifer owed the government $33,558.16. The IRS said the sum needed to be paid immediately to avoid further penalties.

“The party of ‘norms’ and ‘decency’ strikes again. We will never back down,” Hegseth wrote in his post.

Commenting on the Defense Secretary’s post, DOGE chief Elon Musk wrote: “They love the low blows.”

Hegseth was confirmed (51-50) as secretary of defense on January 24 with the help of Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote.

While the details of the IRS case against Hegseth remain sketchy, the incident is reminiscent of how the IRS was weaponized against political enemies during the Obama era.

Beginning in 2010, the IRS began targeting conservatives groups for audits and excessive tax-exempt scrutiny.

The IRS and FBI improperly targeted conservative nonprofit groups for special scrutiny ahead of the 2012 general election. The IRS essentially stopped processing applications for 501(c)(4) tax-exemption status received from organizations with “Tea Party,” “patriots,” or “9/12” in their names. During the same time period, the agency approved applications from several dozen liberal-leaning organizations whose names included terms such as “progressive,” “progress,” “liberal,” or “equality.


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: irs; lawfare; petehegseth; putthedogeonthem; wholetthedogeout
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1 posted on 02/18/2025 4:16:49 AM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

It looks like DOGE may have some cleanup to do at the IRS.


2 posted on 02/18/2025 4:17:04 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

BTTT


3 posted on 02/18/2025 4:20:04 AM PST by nopardons
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To: MtnClimber

The IRS has been politically weaponized since the Obama years.


4 posted on 02/18/2025 4:20:49 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: MtnClimber

The Deep State Empire fights back and loses. The Trump effect strikes again!


5 posted on 02/18/2025 4:22:48 AM PST by dennisw (DËMÔNràts - pingTruth is hate to people who hate truth.)
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To: MtnClimber

“Hey IRS!” Pete sneers, “You and what Army?”


6 posted on 02/18/2025 4:23:28 AM PST by Aevery_Freeman (Grew up in 3-D/B4TV)
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To: MtnClimber

How many IRS workers owe back taxes???

IRS audit report finds employees owe $50 million in back taxes: ‘Double standard’
Story by Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner • 6mo • 3 min read
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/irs-audit-report-finds-employees-owe-50-million-in-back-taxes-double-standard/ar-BB1qQdcW


7 posted on 02/18/2025 4:26:54 AM PST by dennisw (DËMÔNràts - pingTruth is hate to people who hate truth.)
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To: MtnClimber

Pay your taxes.


8 posted on 02/18/2025 4:27:25 AM PST by babble-on
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To: dennisw

That will change in the near future.


9 posted on 02/18/2025 4:30:29 AM PST by Jonty30 (Groundhogs don't falsify their predictions for grant money, whereas climate scientists do. )
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To: Aevery_Freeman

____“Hey IRS!” Pete sneers, “You and what Army?”____

How many divisions does the IRS have? Send the armed IRS agents to Mexican border for enforcement duties. Make them earn their paychecks...... instead of shirking from home.
Set them up with new Chinese made tents and cots.


10 posted on 02/18/2025 4:31:11 AM PST by dennisw (DËMÔNràts - pingTruth is hate to people who hate truth.)
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To: MtnClimber

Al Sharpton’s day is coming.


11 posted on 02/18/2025 4:31:43 AM PST by Jonty30 (Groundhogs don't falsify their predictions for grant money, whereas climate scientists do. )
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To: MtnClimber

Georgy Soros’ weaponized IRS.


12 posted on 02/18/2025 4:35:55 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (The United States of America! - The Slush Fund ATM to the World!)
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To: MtnClimber

It seems to me that the main “cleanup” needed here is that Joe Biden needs his “clock cleaned”.


13 posted on 02/18/2025 4:51:29 AM PST by oldtech
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To: MtnClimber
Well who did this, who did the Trump tax mess, and who was involved in ordering it, and which lawyers stood by and said it was all legit. Could probably clear out 1/2 the IRS right there.

These people are really stupid. Even now they can't see what is happening.

14 posted on 02/18/2025 4:55:19 AM PST by AndyJackson
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To: Telepathic Intruder

Since before then
I remember when a woman heckled Bill Clinton…and was audited


15 posted on 02/18/2025 4:56:21 AM PST by silverleaf (“Inside Every Progressive Is A Totalitarian Screaming To Get Out” —David Horowitz)
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To: MtnClimber

Two words.

Lois Lerner.

Remember? IRS?

Hurt many conservative people.

Got away with it and a great pension.


16 posted on 02/18/2025 4:56:52 AM PST by Chickensoup
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To: MtnClimber
How did Nancy Pelosi, a public servant on government salary, acquire a net worth of 200,000,000 dollars? Two hundred million dollars.

17 posted on 02/18/2025 4:57:57 AM PST by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: MtnClimber
#2: "t looks like DOGE may have some cleanup to do at the IRS."

Audits and anal probes for Pelosi, Schiff, Cheney, Schumer — the whole crew.

18 posted on 02/18/2025 5:00:00 AM PST by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: MtnClimber

This article leads me to some questions:
1. Is it really an audit or instead a tax bill when they already know, or claim to know, how much he owes?
2. What are they going after him on? There are areas that are black and white, and then there are gray areas.
3. Is the (apparent) tax bill consistent with with their policy, if in a gray area?
4. Is it policy to look more closely, within reason, at high-profile people? Maybe there is a case for that, but then it would be up to the IRS to prove it’s applied fairly. If not, people need to be jailed.

One thing that I don’t recall ever hearing is Democrats complaining about being unfairly targeted.

There’s a lot to investigate, for sure.


19 posted on 02/18/2025 5:00:42 AM PST by BobL
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To: silverleaf

Yeah, I should have said “as far as I know”. But Obama restructured the government far more than Clinton. Clinton was just corrupt and a sell-out, whereas Obama was a full-blown Marxist Jihadist with goals of overthrowing Western Civilization.


20 posted on 02/18/2025 5:03:12 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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