The Hill: The IRS has become the Republican bogeyman ahead of the midterms

Democrats are becoming more hopeful as the midterms approach after President Joe Biden’s “string of wins,” especially his signing into law what used to be called the Inflation Reduction Act but is now the “climate, health care, and tax” bill. What will the Republicans do now? Well, they’re still going to take back the House, but what are they going to focus on heading into November? The Hill reports that the IRS, which received $80 billion as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, has become the GOP’s new bogeyman.

Republicans say there is nothing in the law to prevent an increase to audits of middle-class Americans and note that Democrats voted against a GOP amendment to prevent the new funds from being used to go after lower earners. https://t.co/xO4iqCLmpl

— The Hill (@thehill) August 18, 2022

The Hill could have simply started the tweet after “Republicans say.” Sen. Mike Crapo offered up an amendment that would have prohibited the IRS from using its new haul to audit taxpayers earning less than $400,000, but every single Democrat voted against it.

Emily Brooks reports for The Hill:

As Republicans rail against the FBI in the wake of last week’s search at Mar-a-Lago, they are also hyping the danger to voters from another three-letter federal agency: the IRS.

The GOP is warning that the $80 billion funding boost to the IRS included in Democrats’ tax, climate and health care package, which President Biden signed into law on Tuesday, will target middle-class Americans with an “army” of new enforcement agents.

The calls have become a key part of Republicans’ messaging ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) released a video earlier this week that slams Democrats for expanding the IRS, arguing that it will harm everyday Americans despite Democrats’ insistence that the extra funding is intended to make sure wealthy taxpayers and corporations don’t stiff the government.