Top Democrats in Congress are raising concerns about Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after reports revealed the group attempted to gain access to sensitive IRS systems.
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to IRS Acting Commissioner Douglas O’Donnell on Monday, asking for details on any agreements between the IRS and DOGE. They also requested information on whether DOGE has already gained access to taxpayer data, and if so, which members of DOGE were involved.
“Is the IRS considering giving DOGE team members access to [the IRS Integrated Data Retrieval System]? If so, why?” the senators asked in their letter.
The IRS Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS) is a tool the agency uses to manage taxpayer accounts. It gives IRS employees access to tax returns, payment histories, and other sensitive information about taxpayers.
“Please provide a list of all DOGE team members currently employed at the IRS,” the letter continued.
These questions come after reports that DOGE has already accessed important systems at the Treasury Department. As a result, attorneys general from Democratic states filed for a court order to prevent further actions by the advisory group.
On Thursday, The New York Times reported that a software engineer named Gavin Kliger worked at IRS headquarters in Washington as part of DOGE’s efforts. Another engineer, Marko Elez, was given access to federal payment systems at the Treasury Department before resigning over offensive social media posts. Elez had been granted permission to not only view, but also modify data on Treasury systems.
However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified that DOGE employees only had “read-only” access to these systems, meaning they couldn’t make changes. Still, it was later revealed that Elez had been mistakenly granted full access, including the ability to make changes to a payment platform used by the Treasury.
This situation comes at a time when the IRS is in the middle of an overhaul, with Republicans pushing to limit the agency’s funding. More than a quarter of the funds allocated to the IRS in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act were pulled back by Republicans during budget discussions, and nearly $20 billion for audits was frozen last year.
