Top IRS lawyer labeled Trump firings 'fraudulent'

Emails have revealed that a top lawyer at the IRS warned the Trump administration that claims of poor performance in mass firings of IRS workers were false. On February 20, around 7,000 probationary employees at the IRS were terminated with a letter stating poor performance as the reason. However, IRS attorney Joseph Rillotta noted that no performance assessments had been conducted. Rillotta raised concerns that the language in the termination letters was misleading, calling it a "false statement" that could be seen as fraud. He requested the removal of the performance-related claim from the letters but did not receive a response. Eventually, the IRS sent out the notices with the disputed wording, indicating that performance had been considered when making the firing decisions. Many employees who were fired had received positive reviews before their termination. Following the firings, the IRS's inspector general began investigating the situation. Legal experts believe Rillotta's emails could strengthen lawsuits challenging the firings, arguing they were arbitrary and based on false information. The mass firings are part of broader cuts made by the Trump administration. Currently, multiple federal lawsuits are disputing the legality of the firings, with judges temporarily blocking them while the cases proceed. One lawsuit claims the Office of Personnel Management directed these firings based on false pretenses. Treasury Department officials have denied directing performance-based firings, asserting they only reminded agencies of the importance of evaluating probationary employees. According to court affidavits, instructions to fire probationary employees came from high-ranking officials without any review of their actual performance. Some IRS officials even refused to sign the termination letters, further indicating concerns about the process used in these dismissals.