Maybe Donald Trump should just install a revolving door on the Internal Revenue Service. Or at least put one in the C-Suite floor of the building, since he simply cannot keep anybody running that agency. The current commissioner (and former auctioneer and member of Congress) Billy Long, has been in the job for only two months. So what can we expect from the next one? A two-week tenure? And then maybe Trump will get it down to two minutes, and start appointing people with every eye blink? I wish I was joking. Things truly are getting that strange.
Mr. Long, a former Republican congressman and staunch ally of Mr. Trump, is expected to be nominated to an ambassadorship, the people said. It is unclear who will next lead the I.R.S., which has had six different people in charge this year. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will serve as acting commissioner until a permanent replacement is in place, a senior administration official said.
Mr. Long had been an unusual choice to lead the I.R.S. He did not have much background in tax policy beyond promoting a tax credit that the I.R.S. has warned was riddled with fraud, and while he was in Congress he supported legislation calling for the abolition of the agency entirely.
Over his short tenure at the tax agency, Mr. Long, a former auctioneer, traveled to meet with I.R.S. staff across the country and appeared at a National Auction Association conference. He placed two top I.R.S. officials on administrative leave, amplifying a post on social media about the need to “purge” the agency’s work force.
This is already tacky but making it even tackier is the fact that Trump is firing the man two days before his birthday — which he had already begun celebrating with his co-workers at the IRS.
“Please enjoy a 70-minute early exit tomorrow. That way you’ll be rested for my 70th birthday on Monday!” Mr. Long wrote to staff on Thursday.
The Trump administration has pushed to dramatically reduce the number of staff who work at the I.R.S., while at the same time seeking to use it to help deport migrants and scrutinize the tax-exempt status of universities.
Well, somebody else is going to have to help Donald with those *worthy* goals. Meanwhile, here’s a slice of life from Trump’s Washington. Here’s Billy Long doing his auctioneer spiel while Laura Loomer is being thrown out of a congressional hearing. This is the new abnormal.
I guess Billy can get back to the auction block, at least until some nice cushy ambassadorship opens up. Maybe Trump can send Billy to some country in the Mediterranean and he can hang out with Kimberly Guilfoyle.
The kakistocracy continues.
Iceland it is