'Weaponize the IRS?' - Gaetz Raises Concerns on Massive IRS Munitions Stockpile

By Matthew Holloway August 4, 2022 at 10:49am

GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz has chosen to take on what is easily the most dangerous and well-armed force that has ever been assembled for deployment against the American people.

The Florida congressman has put the Internal Revenue Service in the crosshairs with his colleagues by asking a single, penetrating question: Why has Biden’s IRS purchased more than $700K of ammo?

During just these first seven months of 2022, the IRS has purchased $725,000 worth of ammunition, according to Gaetz.

“I’m not against stockpiling ammunition, but you shouldn’t have to be a D.C. accountant to do it; you ought to be able to be a mechanic in Pensacola,” he told Fox News. He continued, noting that the Biden White House is seeking to “disarm Americans, open the border, empty the prisons,” and “still collect your taxes” with $725,000 worth of ammunition to do it, he said.

Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the heaviest artillery an IRS agent would need would be a calculator, not $725,000 worth of ammunition. pic.twitter.com/ek11cFN8in

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 22, 2022

During his Tuesday appearance on Fox News, Gaetz explained, “Call me old-fashioned, but I thought the heaviest artillery an IRS agent would need would be a calculator. I imagine the IRS in green eyeshades and cubicles — not busting doors down and emptying Glock clips on our fellow Americans. Certainly, it’s troubling that in 2022 alone, the IRS has spent around $725,000 on ammunition. So here’s the Biden plan: Disarm Americans, open the border, empty the prisons — but rest assured, they’ll still collect your taxes, and they need $725,000 worth of ammunition, apparently, to get the job done.”

“‘Tax cheat’ isn’t usually a term we hear alongside ‘armed and dangerous.’ And there was a report that showed over a 10-year period, the IRS actually stockpiled $11 million worth of ammunition.”

“That’s why I’m working on legislation to put a total moratorium on the IRS buying ammo. When we used to talk about the IRS being weaponized, we were talking about political discrimination, not actual weapons for the IRS. “

Does the IRS need enough weapons and ammo to topple a small country?

In order to combat this, Gaetz along with Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have cosponsored the “Disarm The IRS” bill.

Duncan took to Twitter in mid-June to question why the IRS has need of such “heavy firepower” for enforcement purposes against the American people.

Why does the IRS need such heavy firepower? http://t.co/HMrLjs3VXD #PJNET #tcot

— Rep. Jeff Duncan (@RepJeffDuncan) June 13, 2013

The four Representatives will need to shepherd the bill through the House Ways and Means Committee before it can be considered by the full House of Representatives, a process replete with opportunities for House Democrats to slow or even kill it.

According to the IRS, the agency is tasked with investigating “potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law.”

OpenTheBooks.com reported in 2020 that the agency possesses an arsenal that includes:

3,282 pistols
621 shotguns
539 rifles
15 fully automatic firearms
4 revolvers

The Government Accountability Office broke down the IRS’ impressive ammunition stockpile:

Pistol and revolver rounds: 3,151,500
Rifle rounds: 1,472,050
Shotgun rounds: 367,750
Fully automatic firearm rounds: 56,000

Rep. Gaetz did present a theory as to why Biden’s IRS would buy up quite so much ammunition: He speculated it could be a tactic to deny supply to average citizens. “Undeniably, part of the strategy is that with one hand, the Biden regime is doing everything they can to suppress access to ammunition for regular Americans, while with the other hand, they are scooping up all of the ammo that they can possibly find.”

After all, what could possibly be the justification for our tax collectors to possess the same firepower as a fully loaded infantry battalion, with weapons to spare? Are IRS audits about to become a bit more hostile?

Submit a Correction →