President Trump is preparing to revamp the Internal Revenue Service as part of an initiative to investigate major Democratic donors the administration suspects of bankrolling political unrest and unlawful protest activity.
The Wall Street Journal reported that interim IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent has tasked senior advisor Gary Shapley with identifying wealthy individuals and organizations whose financial activity may warrant criminal investigation. Sources cited by the paper said billionaire Democratic backer George Soros is among those expected to face scrutiny.
The planned shakeup includes replacing longtime investigations chief Guy Ficco with Shapley, a former IRS whistleblower who accused the Biden administration of political interference in the Hunter Biden case. The restructuring aligns with Trump’s directive to trace funding behind Antifa and other groups accused of organizing violence in Democratic-led cities.
The administration’s focus on left-wing funding streams follows earlier efforts to challenge the tax-exempt status of certain nonprofits. Trump has previously argued that donors such as George Soros, his son Alex, and former Democratic presidential candidates Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg should face legal consequences under RICO statutes.
The IRS, which has furloughed nearly half its employees during the ongoing government shutdown, is expected to implement leadership and investigative changes once the restructuring is finalized.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
