Crisis in Washington: Allegations that Musk's department attempted to access IRS data

According to a report by the Associated Press (AP) citing two unnamed sources, it is alleged that DOGE attempted to access the data system used by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which provides officials with instant access to the account information of specific taxpayers.

The report suggests that if DOGE were to gain access to the system in question, Elon Musk and his team could reach sensitive data, including the bank records of millions of taxpayers.

Meanwhile, legal experts are concerned that the illegal acquisition and disclosure of taxpayer information could be used to target U.S. citizens and violate their privacy.

STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields stated in an email, "Waste, fraud, and abuse have long been deeply rooted in our broken system. Direct access to the system is required to identify and fix these."

In his statement, Fields emphasized, "The American people deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent by the government. For this reason, DOGE will continue to shed light on the corruption it uncovers."

Some Democratic senators, such as Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden, sent a letter to top IRS official Douglas O'Donnell, requesting copies of all communications granting access to Musk and DOGE.

In the letter, the senators pointed out that DOGE's interference with IRS systems coincides with the tax season, noting their concern that these interventions could cause malfunctions that might indefinitely delay tax refunds.

The letter stated, "For millions of Americans who adjust their budgets based on spring payments, any delay in the payment of tax refunds could be financially devastating."

The IRS expects more than 140 million tax returns to be filed by the April 15 deadline for the tax season, which began on January 27 this year.

Michelle King, Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), had resigned after DOGE sought access to the agency's database.

News Source: AA