(RepublicanNews.org) – Montana Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale presented a bill on June 30 that would bar the Internal Revenue Service from purchasing guns and ammunition for their agents using taxpayer funds. The bill was introduced by the legislator in response to the unannounced IRS raid of a gun store in his home state.
In early June, a combined 20 agents from the IRS and ATF raided Highwood Creek Outfitters of Great Falls, MT. The agents closed the gun store and reportedly confiscated the customer records of almost 4,500 firearm purchases.
Rosendale referred to the action as “intimidating” and said that the Biden administration has engaged in the “weaponization” of “alphabet agencies.”
Should the bill be passed, the IRS would be forced to transfer its weapons and ammunition to the General Services Administration. The bill states that within four months of the transfer the items would be sold via auction to both the public and to licensed firearm dealers. It would further see IRS Criminal Investigations transferred to the Justice Department.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst introduced similar legislation on June 13 that would prevent the IRS from providing guns and ammunition to its employees. Ernst pointed out that the agency has reportedly spent $10 million on weapons and gear since 2020 and more than $35 million since 2006.
The post-pandemic purchases include more than $1 million on ballistic shields, almost $1 million on rifles and shotguns, and nearly $250 thousand on ballistic vests.
An early 2023 IRS job posting advertised that the agency needed applicants whose duties included carrying a firearm. The ad further stated that prospective agents needed to be prepared to protect themselves from physical attacks and be willing to use deadly force.
One source said that before the pandemic, the IRS had already stockpiled 4,500 guns and 5 million rounds worth of ammunition. The agency had less than 2,200 special agents on staff at the time.
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