According to Breitbart’s astonishing report, Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said that the IRS had spent approximately $700,000.00 “between March and June 1” purchasing ammunition. Gaetz said that this was “bizarre.” He said, “There is concern that this is part of a broader effort to have any entity in the federal government buy up ammo to reduce the amount of ammunition that is in supply, while at the same time, making it harder to produce ammo.”
Why does the IRS need so much ammo?https://t.co/W7VySOA7vS
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) June 21, 2022
Gaetz went on to suggest that federal agencies are buying up ammunition and, as such, putting citizens in a situation where they cannot exercise their Second Amendment rights due to the inability to access ammunition.
He expressed concern that the government intended to reduce ammunition production “and, on the other hand, [soaks] up the supply of it.” It is something he feels is a direct violation of the rights of Americans, and many Americans, including this one, agree.
According to documents from usaspending.gov, the IRS’s ammunition purchases ranged from $3,201 worth of ammo at one time to $92,000+ worth of ammo at one time. The purchases were spread out over several months, according to the documents, which are publicly available.
According to a report from OpenTheBooks published in 2020, the IRS had stockpiled 4,600 guns and five million rounds of ammunition as of January 2019. This is alarming.
According to the Government Accountability Office, the ammunition breakdown at the time included:
- 3,151,500 Pistol and revolver rounds
- 1,472,050 Rifle rounds
- 367,750 Shotgun round
Perhaps even more curious — and questionable — is that the IRS does not follow any regulations concerning the issuance, use, and accountability of the agency’s staff carrying weapons. This plainly contradicts the recent push for — and passing of — gun control laws nationwide, including more heavily regulated training and liability.
The Senate on Tuesday agreed to take up a compromise bill on gun violence that, if passed, would become the most significant overhaul of U.S. gun laws in decades. https://t.co/wq4SuLFCmk
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) June 23, 2022
According to reports from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the IRS has repeatedly failed to ensure that procedures relating to firearms are properly followed.
“There is no national-level review of firearms training records to ensure that all special agents meet the qualification requirements,” according to the report.
The report further states that the IRS’s failure to conduct proper internal oversight of its weapons could have serious consequences for the public at large.
“If there is insufficient oversight, special agents in possession of firearms who are not properly trained and qualified could endanger other special agents and the public,” the Inspector General, Michael E. Horowitz, said.
A TIGTA report found that special agents at the IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) accidentally fired their weapons more often than they intentionally fired them, which is concerning for us all.
The IRS has also come under intense scrutiny in the past for the harsh tactics it has used to enforce the tax code, including incidents involving armed agents. With the agency requesting tens of billions in new funding, it is not without question how they can return to exercising these abusive tactics.
Matt Gaetz said: “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.”
The rest of us are just as puzzled — and concerned.
This story syndicated with permission from For the Love of News