Handpicked appointee dismissed after 53 days. How many again was there this year alone?
"I hire only the best".
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Among the many issues that have plagued the Internal Revenue Service in recent months is the revolving door at the commissioner’s office: Between January and May, the tax agency went through five different chiefs in five months.
The revolving door appeared likely to stop after Senate Republicans overlooked former Rep. Billy Long’s controversial background to confirm him as the new IRS commissioner.
Exactly three weeks ago, Donald Trump — who picked Long despite his complete lack of qualifications — held a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony for the Missouri Republican in the Oval Office. It was a provocative move in its own right: Since Watergate, presidents from both parties have taken a hands-off attitude toward the IRS, treating it as an apolitical and largely independent agency. The incumbent president, in contrast, seemed eager to signal his control over the IRS.
The Times’ report, which has been verified by NBC News, added that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent — who ostensibly already has a full-time job — will serve as acting IRS commissioner for a while.
For those keeping score, Senate Republicans confirmed Long on June 12, and he formally took the office on June 16, which means he lasted just 53 days — or in the parlance, roughly five Scaramuccis.
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