Internal Revenue Service employees and contractors owe a collective $50 million in back taxes, a new audit by the Treasury Department’s inspector general found. Of the more than 3,800 IRS employees who owe back taxes, 2,000 have not even established a payment plan. More than 50 of these delinquent employees have remained employed by the IRS for five years or more. All told, nearly 150,000 federal employees failed to pay their taxes, owing a combined $1.5 billion. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who requested the audit, says IRS employees’ failure to pay taxes is particularly galling, considering the $80 billion the Inflation Reduction Act allotted to expand the agency’s audit capacity. “Surely the irony and hypocrisy can’t be missed here: taxpayers are being forced to pay billions more to the IRS to audit America while the agency won’t even collect the tens of millions of dollars in unpaid taxes owed by its employees,” Ernst said. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reviewed 1,068 cases where IRS management had initiated disciplinary action against employees for tax issues, and found that management often went easy on them. “76 employees were suspended. Most of these cases involved willful … cases resulting in the employee being suspended for less than 14 days,” the inspector general’s report said. Of 70 cases where the IRS determined that an employee “willfully” engaged in tax misconduct between October 2021 and April 2023, only 20 were fired—even though the law says that all such employees should be terminated, barring intervention from the IRS commissioner. “Although the law requires an employee who has either willfully not filed or willfully understated their taxes due to be removed, subject only to the IRS Commissioner’s mitigation, this disciplinary action is not always enforced,” it said. The IRS was unrepentant in its response to the audit, writing that “for certain offenses, including the willful failure to file a tax return and willful understatement of a Federal tax liability, IRS employees shall be terminated unless the IRS Commissioner decides to mitigate the penalty of termination… The Commissioner exercised this authority.” There was also an “additional list of 69 substantiated willful” violations which were referred to a “Review Board,” which recommended “mitigating” punishment due to factors such as the employee having worked at the IRS for many years or having gotten positive employee evaluations. The IRS acknowledged to auditors that “there are no specific written descriptions of mitigation considerations, or policies and procedures, used by” the Review Board. In addition to not firing employees with tax problems, the IRS also re-hired more than 500 people who had previously left the agency after having known tax, performance, or misconduct issues. More than 300 were hired despite having “unacceptable performance” in their previous tenure at the agency. More than 100 had tax issues, and 15 committed “fraud/theft.” Twenty-four had violated the section of the law that applies to willful tax problems, and 80 others had tax problems that the agency didn’t deem willful. The inspector general had previously flagged the issue of re-hiring bad employees and as a result, the IRS had agreed to ensure that hiring managers had access to the personnel files of candidates applying for a second stint. But it apparently kept hiring them despite that. A law “prohibits the IRS from rehiring former IRS employees who were involuntarily separated” for misconduct or poor performance, yet 10 employees fired between 2007 and 2022 were re-hired after the passage of that law. On Monday, Sen. Ernst called on IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel to fire offending employees, and refer them for criminal prosecution where appropriate. Ernst said she is introducing the Audit the IRS Act, which would require “regular tax audits of agency employees” and the termination of those with “seriously delinquent tax debt.”

Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on Monday morning that she is not being vetted to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, adding that she told the Harris campaign she “made a commitment to serve out my term as governor in Michigan.” Speculation surrounding Whitmer as a potential VP pick has swirled in recent weeks. The Michigan governor traveled to New Hampshire to campaign for Harris last week, and she will also be on the campaign trail for Harris in Pennsylvania later on Monday. Whitmer threw cold water on the VP rumors, however, telling MSNBC host Jonathan Lemire that she is “not a part of the vetting.” “I have communicated with everyone, including the campaign, that I’ve made a commitment to serve out my term as governor in Michigan,” Whitmer said. “I can be an excellent ally to a President Harris and I can be a great co-chair of the Harris campaign from my place as governor. So I am not a part of the vetting.” While Whitmer ruled herself out as VP contender, she told MSNBC, “It would be exciting to have two women on the ticket.” “But guess what, there are a lot of great women in this country who are leading, and we’ve got a deep bench right now, so I’m excited to be among our high watermark of eight strong Democratic women governors in this country … everyone one of them could add something to this ticket,” she added. Asked by Lemire how people are responding to Harris’ presidential campaign, Whitmer replied, “I think people are excited,” adding that she believes Harris “is going to inspire a lot of people to get activated who maybe were not yet.” “President Biden served our country with dignity and honor for decades, and he’s made huge personal sacrifices to do that. I’m grateful that in this moment … he is passing the torch and uplifting a new generation of leaders,” Whitmer said. “It’s also gotten a lot of energy. I can see it on the ground in Michigan. I saw it in New Hampshire when I was there at the end of last week,” she added. “We’re seeing more people volunteering, more people contributing to the success of this campaign. It is still going to be a close race.” With Whitmer seemingly out of the consideration to be Harris’ running mate, the list of names believed to be the frontrunners for the VP slot grows shorter. Harris has reportedly narrowed her VP contenders to a shortlist that includes Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Donald Trump agreed to participate in an interview for the FBI‘s investigation into the assassination attempt on the former president at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, the bureau said on Monday. Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, provided details on the inquiry into the July 13 shooting during a call with reporters. “We want to get his perspective as to what he observed,” Rojek said of Trump, according to The Washington Post. “It is a standard interview we would do for any other victim of crime.” Investigators have conducted about 450 interviews, including with the shooter’s parents, who have been “extremely cooperative” and denied having knowledge of their son’s plans, Rojek said, per AP. Rojek also shared more findings on the gunman himself, identified as a 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks, whom a Secret Service sniper shot and killed. Crooks was “highly intelligent” and appeared to have a social circle “limited to his immediate family, as we believe, he had few friends and acquaintances throughout his life,” Rojek said, per CNN. “While the FBI’s investigation may not yet have determined a motive,” Rojek said, the agency believes Crooks “made significant efforts to conceal his activities” and his actions “show careful planning.” FBI Director Christopher Wray said last week that a laptop linked to Crooks revealed a Google search related to Lee Harvey Oswald and the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Crooks queried, “How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?” on July 6, which appears to be the same day the shooter registered for Trump’s rally, Wray testified to Congress. Rojek said on Monday that Crooks also conducted searches related to power plants, mass shootings, explosives, and the attempted assassination of Slovakia’s prime minister earlier this year. Crooks used aliases and “foreign-based encrypted email accounts” to make online purchases related to firearms and “chemical precursors” to make explosives, the FBI said, according to TribLIVE. The FBI released a statement on Friday confirming that Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet shot by Crooks at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle,” the bureau said. The statement came after Wray suggested during his appearance before Congress last week that Trump might have been hit by shrapnel and not a bullet, as the former president had said. Wray also talked about how Crooks appeared to have flown a drone to conduct reconnaissance, the FBI recovered three explosive devices, and the gunman used a collapsible stock for his rifle. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned last week as she faced backlash over the security failure underlying the Trump rally shooting. One rallygoer, 50-year-old fireman Corey Comperatore, was killed in the attack. Two attendees who were wounded — 74-year-old James Copenhaver and 57-year-old David Dutch — have been released from the hospital in recent days, NBC News reported. Trump announced last week that he plans to hold another rally in Butler to honor Comperatore and the two others who were injured.

Leonard Leo, co-chairman of the Federalist Society, who was instrumental in suggesting conservative judges for former President Donald Trump to nominate to the Supreme Court, fired back at President Joe Biden after Biden published an opinion piece on Monday demanding term limits for Supreme Court justices and a “binding code of conduct for the Supreme Court.” “Justices should be required to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest,” Biden commanded. Biden and his Democratic Party have been attacking the two most conservative justices on the court, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, claiming they have violated ethical standards. On July 10, radical leftist Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filed articles of impeachment against Thomas and Alito, ranting, “The unchecked corruption crisis on the Supreme Court has now spiraled into a Constitutional crisis threatening American democracy writ large.” “No conservative justice has made any decision in any big case that surprised anyone, so let’s stop pretending this is about undue influence,” Leo fired back against Biden in a statement. “It’s about Democrats destroying a court they don’t agree with. “If President Biden and the Democrats were truly serious about ethics reform, then they would ban all gifts and hospitality of any kind to any public official in any branch of government, starting with Congress, where the real corruption is.” Leo continued. “They would close all of the loopholes that allow Members to travel on private jets to fancy hotels and restaurants.” “With respect to judges, they would include the things where influence peddling is most present and dangerous -and that’s when the liberal Justices rub shoulders with influencers at places like law schools, bar associations, progressive think tanks and their conferences, and other groups and events funded by Left-wing billionaires, where they support real vested interests in the work of the Court,” he noted. “”Let me be clear: If Democrats want to adopt an across the board ethics ban for all branches, I am in favor of that: no jets, no meals, no speaking honorariums, no gifts for anyone from anyone for any reason in any branch, starting with Congress. Until they support that, let’s all be honest about what this is: a campaign to destroy a court that they disagree with.” Leonard Leo’s ??? statement on the Supreme Court nonsense: pic.twitter.com/2ykTcahdpX — Karol Markowicz (@karol) July 29, 2024 RELATED: Biden Unveils Plan To Dramatically Change The Supreme Court, Attacks Recent Decisions

In an apparent attempt to mislead the public about the state of Israel, The Washington Post ran a photo of a Druze child killed by Hezbollah in a rocket attack over the weekend but titled the article, “Israel Hits Targets In Lebanon.” That’s an image of a funeral of a girl KILLED IN ISRAEL BY A HEZBOLLAH ROCKET FROM LEBANON, so why is the @washingtonpost headline backwards? pic.twitter.com/y6RO9nMcKT — Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) July 29, 2024 If you saw this photo and read the headline, you'd naturally think that Israel was responsible for the death of 12 innocent Druze children on a soccer field. Israel is fighting a 2 front war – not against Hamas & Hezbollah, but against terrorists and the biased US media. pic.twitter.com/dcdc852DDU — Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) July 29, 2024 This is the front page of the @washingtonpost today. You can see grieving family members burying children murdered by Hezbollah in the Madjal Shams massacre. If by chance you understood anything else from their headline, you might not be the problem. pic.twitter.com/cXuM2kNE54 — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 29, 2024 The rocket attack on Saturday killed 12 children between the ages of 11 and 16 on a soccer field in Golan Heights. “This attack was conducted by Lebanese Hezbollah,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson stated. “It was their rocket, and launched from an area they control.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed, “Every indication is that indeed … the rocket was from Hezbollah,” The New York Post reported. The Washington Post’s article on Sunday referred to the “Israeli-occupied Golan Heights” despite the fact that the United States acknowledged Israeli sovereignty over the area on March 25, 2019, when former President Donald Trump issued a proclamation stating: The State of Israel took control of the Golan Heights in 1967 to safeguard its security from external threats.  Today, aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hizballah, in southern Syria continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel.  Any possible future peace agreement in the region must account for Israel’s need to protect itself from Syria and other regional threats.  Based on these unique circumstances, it is therefore appropriate to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim that, the United States recognizes that the Golan Heights are part of the State of Israel. “Some 150,000 Druze live in Israel today and, according to their religious dictates, are fiercely loyal to the country in which they live. Accordingly, those who hold Israeli citizenship must serve in the Israeli army, with up to 85% of Druze men enlisting and many remaining in the IDF as professional soldiers,” Jewish Insider noted. Druze response: “Nasrallah, We Are Coming for You!” ???? pic.twitter.com/RjweU2I20w — Adam Albilya – אדם אלביליה (@AdamAlbilya) July 27, 2024 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Druze community, “We are brothers. We have an alliance in life, and unfortunately also an alliance in times of bereavement and agony…Israel will continue to stand with you.” Netanyahu visited Majdal Shams, where Hezbollah killed 12 children, and said "our response will come and it will be harsh." To Druze Israelis, Netanyahu said: "We are brothers. We have an alliance in life, and unfortunately also an alliance in times of bereavement and… pic.twitter.com/MkzWEi7hOb — Eye On Antisemitism (@AntisemitismEye) July 29, 2024

Harvard University has canceled a summer program with a Palestinian university whose faculty and students have endorsed and collaborated with Hamas and other terror groups, a spokesman told The Daily Wire. Birzeit University, which called for “glory for the martyrs” after Hamas’s October 7 terrorist massacre in Israel, was slated to host Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s “Palestine Social Medicine Course” from July to August. But the school has moved the program to Jordan, a spokesman told The Daily Wire, “due to security concerns in the West Bank.” According to the program’s website, the “three-week intensive summer course is designed to introduce students to the social, structural, political, and historical aspects that determine Palestinian health beyond the biological basis of disease.”  The program kicks off this week and ends August 17. Students on the trip will learn from health practitioners, academics, and activists about topics including “Settler colonialism and its manifestations in Palestine” and “Health and racism,” the website states.  Harvard’s relationship with Birzeit University came under scrutiny after The Daily Wire revealed the Palestinian university’s connections with terrorists and anti-Semites, prompting a group of lawmakers to call for an end to the partnership. On October 10, Birzeit University’s school’s X account called for “glory for the martyrs” and repeatedly declared support for student encampments on American college campuses whose members harassed Jewish students. The account also mourned “with great pride the martyr,” Aysar Safi, a student killed in a combat mission against the IDF, who was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), according to the terrorist group’s website. Birzeit posted a photo of Safi’s on-campus funeral, where attendees were seen holding flags of the student wing of the PFLP and Hamas’s al-Qassam brigade. Hanan Ashrawi, chairman of the university’s board of trustees, denied that Hamas sexually assaulted Israeli civilians on October 7. Ashrawi has also defended Hezbollah, and endorsed the lynching of Israeli soldiers, according to CAMERA UK. On October 11, Ashrawi said Israel’s “spin machine” was “manufacturing horrific lies in an orchestrated smear campaign claiming rape, slaughtering babies, beheadings, burnings alive,” and claimed Western media “immediately swallowed & regurgitated such vile slander.”  In March, Ashrawi denied a United Nations report that concluded Hamas committed sexual violence, stating that the report was invalid because it primarily included interviews with Israelis. The Palestinian school describes itself as a “thorn in the side of the occupation” and says it is committed to making an impact through “resistance.” Birzeit has a building named after Kamal Nasser, the leader of Black September, the terror group that kidnapped and killed 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Birzeit also has annual on-campus military parades where students honor Hamas and PFLP with mock suicide belts and rockets, and chants calling to “blow up the settler’s head,” the Middle East Media Research Institute reported. The university’s student body has closely aligned itself with terrorist groups. During the school’s 2023 student council elections, the Hamas-affiliated Islamic Bloc won 25 of the 51 seats. The PFLP-affiliated group picked up six seats in the race, which had a 77 percent voter turnout, according to the Jerusalem Post. Many Birzeit students have been arrested for assisting and joining terror groups. Last week, five members of Birzeit’s student council were arrested for attempting to carry out a shooting terror attack on behalf of Hamas. The group had an assault rifle and thousands of dollars in cash from Hamas at the time of arrest, the Times of Israel reported. In 2022, Birzeit students were arrested for helping to launder money for terrorist attacks from Gaza to Hamas members in Turkey, The Jerusalem Post reported. On X, Birzeit said 140 students and four staff members were in prison in April.

If you’ve been following Celine Dion’s journey, you understand exactly why her recent performance at the Paris Olympics is historic. Back in 2022, the legendary singer was diagnosed with a neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome. The symptoms that accompany this disorder, including muscle spasms, made it impossible to continue her career. Still, Dion remained determined. In fact, she said many times that she would find a way to sing again — and now she has! The last time Dion performed was in 2019 for a concert in London. For this reason, and more, her performance during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics made for an emotional moment. Now, the icon herself has shared her thoughts and feelings in a social media post, accompanied by the photo below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Céline Dion (@celinedion) “I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities!” Dion writes. “Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance.” Fans Celebrates Celine Dion’s Triumphant Return to the Stage During the Olympics Commentators from all walks of life were greatly moved by Dion’s performance. This includes fellow singer, Kelly Clarkson, who couldn’t help but get emotional when asked for her thoughts. Kelly Clarkson gives Celine Dion the gold medal for vocal athletes. #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/6j8medRkMg— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024 “I’m so sorry, I’m trying to hold it together,” Clarkson says, later adding, “In my field, she is the gold winner for vocal athletes.” Celine Dion Shows Her Support for Olympic Athletes Like her fans, Dion couldn’t be more proud or thrilled by how her performance turned out. But her celebration post didn’t solely discuss her own talents — she also took note of how proud she is of the athletes competing in the Olympics. This is how the Eiffel Tower looked while Céline Dion was singing pic.twitter.com/gZe92M4f2g— celine vocals (@CelineOracle) July 28, 2024 Considering all of the obstacles these athletes face, she no doubt feels a sense of comradery between them, despite working in two very different fields. “All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you!” Dion’s post continues. “You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Celine Dion Breaks Silence Following Her Moving Comeback Performance At The Paris Olympics appeared first on InspireMore.

Taking a passenger’s dog for a walk isn’t usually part of an airline pilot’s job describtion, but one sweet man decided to do it anyway! A woman was traveling with her four-legged friend when nature called. Unfortunately, they had already boarded the plane and their flight was being delayed for over two hours. During this time, no one was allowed to leave the aircraft. It looked like this pup was going to have to hold it! Thankfully, that’s when the pilot stepped in and took the dog for a short bathroom walk. Another passenger caught the stroll on camera through the airplane window, and the footage is way too sweet! Once the pooch had finished her business, the pilot brought her right back to her owner. @alisonwonderland Protect this man at all costs #dogtok #dog #plane #fyp ♬ Unlock it x better off alone – Roxi Audios “Our pilot offered to take this lady’s dog to the toilet while we were stuck on the runway for 2.5 hrs cos we weren’t allowed off,” wrote the passenger on social media. Commenters applauded this pilot for taking this poor dog for a little walk so that she wouldn’t be uncomfortable during the flight. “Doggo getting the VIP exclusive treatment,” one user joked. Another added, “@United Airlines one of your pilots going above and beyond!” This dog’s owner was touched by the pilot’s gesture. Screengrab from TikTok As it happens, the dog’s owner, Katie O’Reagan, also came across this viral video of her pooch getting a walk from the pilot. “Lacey and I made it home safe and sound,” she wrote in the comments. Katie also shared some photos and videos from the heartwarming moment on her own social media account. She added an image of the pilot actually holding the pup in his arms because she was too scared to leave the airplace! It was so thoughtful of this pilot to take this dog for a walk outside during the flight delay. Lacey and her owner are very grateful for the act of kindness! You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Kindhearted Pilot Takes Woman’s Dog For Potty Break While Stuck On Runway appeared first on InspireMore.

When most people think of Olympic athletes, they picture adults. However, there are some young teens out there who are giving them a run for their money—like Gabi Brito, a 13-year-old swimmer who qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials.   Record Breaker At just 13 years old, this California local is breaking records. While swimming in the race above, she became the fastest 13-year-old to swim the 50-meter freestyle in Southern California when she finished in an incredible 25.42 seconds. Not only did that impressive time earn her many cheers from her loved ones, but it also a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic trials. Although we were all impressed with her skills, Gabi herself couldn’t believe it. She said she was surprised that she made the cut. She shared thoughts on how she believed her sister should be the one who qualified. Gabi has been swimming with her sister since the age of 5. Now, both girls swim for the Beach City Swim Team. While her sister did not make the cut, she was very supportive of Gabi. Olympic Trials Following these trials, Gabi and her family went to Indianapolis in June to officially earn a spot on Team USA. Although she is a phenomenal swimmer with impressive speeds, she unfortunately did not qualify for a lane at the Paris Summer Olympics. While the 13-year-old swimmer maintained a positive attitude about the situation, it is clear that her competitive nature and dream of making it to the Olympics are still in full force. Even though she told Fox 11, “I’m in no rush. I’m just going to take it step by step,” we have no doubt she will be working very hard every day. We fully expect to see her again in 2028, when she admits she is hopeful to make the semifinals and the final cuts. Best of luck, Gabi. We are all rooting for you. The source of the featured image in this post can be found here. The post Record-Breaking 13-Year-Old Swimmer Qualifies For Olympic Trials appeared first on InspireMore.

We’re only three days into the Paris Olympics, and Simone Biles has already blown us away with her unparalleled talent. With seven Olympic medals already under her belt at 27 years old, this year is sure to be yet another historic one. This can be seen in her performance on Sunday. This is when the gymnastics qualifiers took place. As expected, she nailed both her vault and floor routines. But there’s one moment in particular that fans can’t stop talking about. This moment took place during her vault routine. During it, Biles chose to try a move called the Yurchenko double pike. This move is considered by many to be the most difficult vault in women’s gymnastics. In fact, Biles became the first women to pull this move off in an international competition in 2023. Vaults like these are what make Simone Biles Simone Biles. ‍ #ParisOlympics: NBC, E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/YhlEdlJ6e2— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 28, 2024 As you can see in the slow-motion video above, Biles pulled off this incredibly difficult move with ease! At this speed, it’s even easier to see just how incredible the 27-year-old is at what she does. Notice that she’s able to keep her body impressively still, allowing her to land with a mind-blowing level of precision. Simone Biles Starts Off the Paris Olympics With Mind-Blowing Move Now, fans of this superstar athlete can’t stop raving about this iconic moment — and we understand why! Twitter Because Biles is the only woman to have pulled off this move in international competitions, she has earned herself an incredible form of recognition. Although the move is still named the Yurchenko double pike, it has a new nickname: Biles II. How fitting, and incredible, is that!? Twitter If you’re anything like these thrilled fans, you can’t wait to see Biles’ next performance in Paris. That said, the iconic Olympian gets a break today. But she’ll be back tomorrow for the women’s team final. In the meantime, it’s clear Biles is just as excited as her fans for what is to come! “Grateful to be doing what I love,” Biles shared in a social media post hours ago. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Slow-Motion Video Of Simone Biles Nailing Insanely Difficult Move Has Fans Raving appeared first on InspireMore.