Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana is calling out Democrats who are outraged over Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) yet fully supported expanding the IRS with 87,000 new agents. On Tuesday, Kennedy pointed out the hypocrisy of Washington politicians who are more interested in defending bloated government agencies than protecting American taxpayers.
Kennedy reminded the public that the Biden administration’s IRS expansion was never about targeting the ultra-wealthy. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admitted under questioning that 90% of the new audits would fall on small businesses and families earning under $400,000. This confirmed what many had warned all along: the IRS expansion was aimed squarely at everyday Americans.
Despite this, Democrats were quick to dismiss concerns and push ahead with their plan, which allowed for increased bank surveillance, new reporting requirements on online transactions over $600, and a tip-reporting program targeting service workers. While they claimed to be cracking down on tax evasion, the real impact would have been felt by gig workers, small business owners, and middle-class taxpayers.
The same people screaming at Pres. Trump for auditing federal spending agreed with Pres. Biden hiring 80,000+ new IRS agents with guns to audit the American people. pic.twitter.com/eR69Xv4aLP
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) February 13, 2025
Kennedy pointed out the contradiction: the same Democrats who want to expand government power over individuals are panicking now that DOGE is exposing the wastefulness of that very government. Reports have shown billions in misused taxpayer funds, including grants given to illegal immigrants and absurdly overpriced government contracts.
🚨SEN KENNEDY: “It strikes me as breathtakingly ironic that that the people who are screaming so loudly about President Trump's decision to audit federal spending—
— are the very same people who wanted to hire 80,000 new IRS agents with guns to audit the American people." pic.twitter.com/AveAVvKP1l
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 11, 2025
Meanwhile, the IRS continues to be one of the least efficient agencies in government, with millions of unprocessed returns and failing customer service. Yet the Biden administration prioritized giving the agency more enforcement power rather than improving its operations.
Kennedy’s remarks highlight the growing divide in Washington—Republicans are pushing for transparency and fiscal responsibility, while Democrats seem determined to protect wasteful government programs. As DOGE’s investigations continue, it’s clear that some in Washington are more interested in hiding spending abuses than fixing them.
