Senate Democrats have called on the Treasury Department's acting inspector general for tax administration to investigate the recent departure of Kenneth Kies, a high-ranking IRS attorney who reportedly warned the Trump administration against interfering with taxpayer audits.
In a letter to Inspector General Heather M. Hill, more than a dozen Democratic senators stated that Kies, who held the positions of assistant Treasury Department secretary and acting chief counsel of the IRS, was allegedly forced out after raising concerns about potential breaches of a law that prohibits executive branch interference in tax enforcement.
"If recent reporting is accurate and Mr. Kies did in fact advise White House officials of such risks, it is gravely concerning that this administration chose not only to ignore the IRS’ top legal adviser, but to fire him for attempting to follow the law and protect taxpayers," the senators wrote.
Kies, a former tax lobbyist, was confirmed to lead the Office of Tax Policy in June 2025 and also served as acting chief counsel to the IRS. The White House confirmed Kies' departure, with an email statement to The Associated Press characterizing him as not a team player and difficult to work with. Neither Kies nor the IRS provided comment to the AP.
The rule preventing political influence over tax audits originated from the Watergate scandal, during which President Richard Nixon reportedly considered using the IRS against political adversaries.
It remains unclear which specific taxpayer audits prompted Kies' concerns. However, Kies had previously recused himself from tax matters involving former President Donald Trump due to his prior work as Trump's private lawyer.
Separately, lawmakers have also raised questions regarding a settlement agreement reached in May between Trump and the IRS. This agreement resolves Trump's lawsuit over the 2018 leak of his tax returns to The New York Times. A provision in the settlement states that the IRS agrees to drop all pending probes into whether Trump has paid his fair share of taxes. According to a one-page addendum, the U.S. is "forever barred and precluded" from examining or prosecuting current tax filings of Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization.