The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

IRS whistleblower said to report Treasury political appointee might have tried to interfere in audit of Trump or Pence

October 3, 2019 at 4:25 p.m. EDT
Another whistleblower has emerged, this time in the IRS. Washington Post investigative reporter Tom Hamburger has spoken to him. (Video: The Washington Post)

An Internal Revenue Service ­official has filed a whistleblower complaint reporting that he was told that at least one Treasury Department political appointee attempted to improperly interfere with the annual audit of the president’s or vice president’s tax returns, according to multiple people familiar with the document.

Trump administration officials dismissed the whistleblower’s complaint as flimsy because it is based on conversations with other government officials. But congressional Democrats were alarmed by the complaint, now circulating on Capitol Hill, and flagged it in a federal court filing. They are also discussing whether to make it public.