A job advertisement for IRS Special Agents “willing to use deadly force” is raising eyebrows amid renewed scrutiny of the tax agency that could greatly expand if Congress passes its new spending bill.
The online job ad titled “Criminal Investigation Special Agents” went offline temporarily on Wednesday after it sparked thousands of comments across social media.
Major duties require special agents to “carry a firearm and be willing to use deadly force, if necessary.” Agents must be “willing and able to participate in arrests, execution of search warrants, and other dangerous assignments.”
Concerns over the job posting correspond with Congress’s efforts to pass the Democrat’s so-called Inflation Reduction Act, giving the IRS $80 billion over 10 years, with $45.6 billion for “enforcement.”
Public concern has built over what some call the militarization of the IRS. The bill would add 87,000 IRS employees over 10 years, leading to concerns among Republicans over increased audits on lower and middle-class taxpayers.
The IRS has stockpiled five million rounds of ammunition and spent $750,000 this year to buy more, according to Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. He introduced a bill to block future purchases by the agency.
Gaetz announced his sponsorship of the “Disarm the IRS Act” in a press release on July 1 to ban the IRS from acquiring ammunition through direct purchase or otherwise. The bill awaits a potential vote in the House Ways and Means Committee.
Requirements for other law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, use the same language as the IRS job announcement concerning carrying a firearm. But many wonder why a tax agency is so heavily armed and required to use deadly force.
IRS data through 2018 shows that the agency’s employee numbers have fallen since 2010. The IRS had a total of 93,337 employees in 2010. By 2017, the IRS’s overall employee count decreased to 72,803 and rose slightly in 2018.
