Matt Gaetz Supporters Hit Kevin McCarthy Over IRS Funding

Supporters of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who is seeking to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership, are criticizing the California Republican’s failure to defund the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). criticizing.

The words “87,000 IRS employees” began trending on social media platform X on Tuesday morning ahead of Congress’ vote on whether to strip McCarthy of his chairmanship.

“Note @McCarthythey should have kept their promise and defunded 87,000 IRS employees on day one…! Big mistake, big mistake.” I have written 1 user.

“Our first bill would defund 87,000 new IRS employees,” McCarthy vowed in January. “You know, we believe the government should be helping you, not going after you.”

Shortly after, the House of Representatives repealed the additional IRS funding, with McCarthy saying: statement, “I promised.” The promise was kept. ”

However, Mr. McCarthy allowed most of the additional IRS funds approved for 2022 to remain in the country. debt ceiling agreement in May, brokered by him and President Joe Biden.

“Kevin says he can fight again next year to cancel the IRS’s $80 billion for another year… But he also wants to make sure that by agreeing to suspend the debt ceiling for two years, ” said Rep. Dan Bishop (R.N.C.) in May. “That means we’ll have 85,260 more IRS agents instead of 87,000 to eat you alive. A huge win.”

Mr. McCarthy now faces growing criticism within his own caucus, much of which is led by Mr. Gaetz, and the IRS funding in the debt ceiling deal has come back to haunt him.

“Did Speaker McCarthy defund 87,000 IRS employees as promised? There are a lot of broken promises. Come on. Republicans must vote for the motion to resign. ” I have written One of the critics of X.

Another user cited the lack of IRS defunding as an example of McCarthy breaking his promises. to add: “You should have defunded 87,000 IRS employees when you were first elected Speaker of the House on the very same day. Speaker McCarthy, you made a grave mistake. You bastard!! Enough is enough! No more!”

The 87,000 figure often repeated by Republican lawmakers is largely an exaggeration, according to fact-checking. CNN notes This figure includes not only auditors but also all employees and replacements for current and anticipated vacancies. Additionally, the funding increase is not targeted at people with annual incomes of less than $400,000.

When IRS hiring plans were first announced, false alarm Stories of IRS agents carrying weapons and forming the details of a deadly crackdown also circulated online.