- Journalist Matt Taibbi, one of a handful of journalists entrusted with access to internal communications at Twitter, was reportedly paid a visit by the IRS on the same day that he gave testimony before Congress over the government’s control of social media platforms. The “Twitter Files” journalist told House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and his committee that an IRS agent visited his home in New Jersey on March 9 – the same day that he appeared before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of Federal Government.
- According to Taibbi, the IRS agent left a note instructing him to call. When Taibbi spoke to IRS spokespeople he was allegedly told that his 2018 and 2021 tax returns had been rejected. Agents cited concerns about possible identity theft.
- Taibbi reportedly provided documentation to the committee, however, showing his 2018 tax return had already been accepted. He had not been contacted prior to reporting on the government and Democratic Party’s role in silencing social media users. Taibbi also said that his accountants attempted to refile his 2021 return, only for it to be rejected for a second time despite being submitted using an IRS-provided pin number.
Why It Matters
- Taibbi’s reporting, which exposed communications between Twitter and both the government and the Democratic Party, was widely ignored in the mainstream media. The reporting exposed Taibbi, and a number of other journalists, to a torrent of abuse from Democrat activists. The sudden arrival of an IRS agent at Taibbi’s home now raises concerns about the federal government’s response to his reporting, and sparked speculation that the home visit could have been a retaliation.
- IRS agents do not typically make home visits over technical problems with tax filings. If an IRS agent wants to audit a tax return, a meeting is typically scheduled at the agent’s office, and the taxpayer is informed via letter.
