The IRS Backs Down

We told you how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was planning to require your biometric information through facial recognition for you to even access your basic tax information. The ACLJ and other organizations immediately put pressure on the IRS for this egregious government overreach and the IRS has backed down. This was a big win.

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig released a statement:

"Everyone should feel comfortable with how their personal information is secured, and we are quickly pursuing short-term options that do not involve facial recognition."

It was clear the American people did not feel comfortable or trust the IRS having their personal information. In the short term, this is a huge win. In the long term, however, we know this institution is incapable of self-correcting, so our work is not over.

Our work not only continues in Washington, D.C., but all around the world.

As the danger of a Russian invasion into Ukraine escalates, President Biden tried a last-minute threat to deter Russia in a press conference:

"If Russia invades, that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer be a Nord Stream 2."

ACLJ Senior Advisor for National Security and Foreign Policy and former Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell countered President Biden’s statement:

"First of all, let’s remember that Putin has Google. He can see the history of what this Administration and what the Obama-Biden Administration did. This is another red line . . . like we are going to do something very strong if you invade and take Crimea. . . . Look, the reality is that the Obama-Biden Democratic machine, which I would argue the current crop of Biden appointees are really Obama 3, that whole team has a long history of making threats and never following through on those threats. So, I don’t believe that Putin believes what Joe Biden is saying. I don’t believe that the Europeans believe what Joe Biden is saying. I don’t even think Democrats in Congress believe Joe Biden."

During this press conference, President Biden also addressed the new Chancellor to Germany, Olaf Scholz. As former Ambassador to Germany, Ric added what he thought of this:

"If we had to pick a socialist . . . we would pick Olaf Shultz. He is the best of the socialists in Germany. . . . I know him, he cares about budget issues. He was previously the finance minister, so he is going to look at spending and making sure that there is a Germany first economic model. . . . So, I think we have to watch the Germans as they continue to peel away from the EU. They want a foreign policy that is more like Switzerland where they are friends with everybody, and they can sell cars to everybody. They don’t share the same threat assessment we do. . . . And I think that what we’ve seen over the last decade is a very comfortable Germany where they have a budget surplus, and they are trying to be friends with everyone. They have moved away from the Western Alliance." . . .

"I know that’s a strong statement but my experience in Germany is that they have moved away from the Transatlantic Alliance from a western facing Transatlantic Alliance. They are not a very good EU member. . . . They think about Germany first. Remember they are not paying their NATO obligations of 2 percent of their GDP, and they are the largest economy in all of Europe and at the same time, they have 50,000 American troops protecting them. I have been in a meeting where President Trump looked at Chancellor Merkel and said, you know what, I don't blame you for not paying . . . all that money because why would you if the U.S. is going to protect you? It’s a smart move. But he also said you can’t blame me for trying to stop it."

The ACLJ is at the forefront of all of these issues. To continue engaging in these issues in Washington, D.C. and around the world, we are expanding our work at the ACLJ. This win today is evidence that we are needed in Washington, D.C. to fight government overreach just like this one. And we are able to expand our work all over the world because of our ACLJ members.

Today’s full Sekulow broadcast is complete with even more analysis of our recent win over the IRS and the Biden Administration’s latest threat to Russia over a potential invasion into Ukraine.