Coronavirus: Trump letter to stimulus check recipients causes stir
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 6 years ago • 55 commentsBy: Michael Collins (USA TODAY)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Michael CollinsUSA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Americans who received a stimulus check from the federal government also are getting something else in the mail: a letter from President Donald Trump.
A one-page letter from Trump started arriving over the weekend in the mailboxes of millions of Americans who received stimulus payments of up to $1,200 under a new law designed to help the economy recover from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Your Economic Impact Payment Has Arrived," says the letter's boldface heading. The letter, written on White House stationery, opens with the salutation, "My Fellow American."
"Our great country is experiencing an unprecedented public health and economic challenge as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic," the letter says. "Our top priority is your health and safety. As we wage total war on this invisible enemy, we are also working around the clock to protect hardworking Americans like you from the consequences of the economic shutdown. We are fully committed to ensuring that you and your family have the support you need to get through this time."
At the bottom of the page - in bold, one-inch-high characters - the letter is signed "Donald J. Trump."
A former taxpayer advocate at the Internal Revenue Service called the letter "unbelievable" and said it makes the agency "look like it is the handmaiden of one administration and one party."
"This will harm the IRS and its ability to appear nonpolitical and nonpartisan," said Nina Olson, executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights. "If I were there, I would be strongly advocating against this."
The stimulus payments are part of a $2.2 trillion economic recovery package approved by Congress and signed into law by Trump on March 27. The Treasury Department said last week that nearly 90 million people already have received payments totaling nearly $160 billion.
The economic recovery law that provided for the stimulus payments requires that a written notice be sent via mail to the last known address of any taxpayer who received one of the stimulus checks. The law says the letter must be sent no later than 15 days after the money has been distributed and must include the payment method, the amount of the payment and an IRS phone number to report any failure to receive such a payment.
The law doesn't dictate who should send the letter. Asked who decided that the letter would come from Trump, the Treasury Department referred a reporter to Trump's remarks at a news conference on Friday.
Trump said the letter was needed to fulfill the requirements of the law and to let "each American know that we are getting through this challenge together as one American family."
"And that's what's been happening," he said.
Olson said Trump's letter is the first time she can recall the president sending a letter directly to taxpayers through the IRS.
When tax rebate checks were distributed in 2001 under President George W. Bush, the IRS pushed back when the White House suggested a letter accompanying the checks include language along the lines of "we're giving you back your money," Olson said.
"That shows you the sensitivity of using the IRS to promote any particular administration or any administration policy," she said. "It is supposed to be an apolitical administrator of the law that Congress writes and passes and the president signs. Period."
Trump already has drawn criticism because his signature was added to paper checks sent to taxpayers who did not receive their stimulus payments through direct deposit. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said it was his idea to include Trump's name on the checks, and he denied reports that adding the president's moniker delayed delivery of some of the checks.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trump "unfortunately appears to see the pandemic as just another opportunity to promote his own political interests."
Schumer said he is planning to file legislation that would prohibit the use of any taxpayer funds "for any publicity or promotional activity that includes the names, likeness, or signature" of Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.
Olson said adding Trump's name to the checks and then sending check recipients a letter from him could further damage the credibility of the IRS. The agency is still reeling from accusations that it audited taxpayers on Richard Nixon's enemies list in the 1970s and reports that it heavily scrutinized conservative groups under the administration of Barack Obama, she said.
Trump's letter to taxpayers sows further confusion, Olson said, because it arrives in an envelope from the Treasury Department and the IRS. The envelope notes that postage and fees were paid by the IRS.
"Just think of the optics of someone receiving a letter that comes in an IRS envelope, and the first thing they see is the letterhead of the president of the United States," Olson said. "That immediately puts into people's minds that the IRS is doing the will of the president of the United States and promoting the president of the United States rather than serving as an impartial broker and administrator of the revenue code.
"That will damage the IRS's reputation, and it will damage the tax system. I don't care who is the president of the United States. It doesn't matter."
Michael Collins covers the White House. Reach him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.
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If I see a letter with the IRS return address I'm gonna start panicking because I think I'm about to be audited
That is for sure. Some return addresses can literally trigger a panic attack. IRS might be one of them.
I think it would be pretty awesome to find some good news (free money) in that envelope.
I got mine direct deposit last week
No letter for you.
No commemorative coin. No coupons. Direct deposit taking all the fun out of it.
But at least I won't lose a check before I can get to the bank
Actually, that's not correct. We, our son and our daughter all did direct deposit and we all got letters today. The letters were very nice, of course, but not nearly as nice as the deposits in our accounts. To quote the late author, Robert Heinlein, "Signatures on good reviews are good to have; but the only signatures that really matter are those on papers that say, Pay to the Order of."
And no, Tacos, direct deposit didn't take any of the fun out of it at all. Wonder if it will stimulate the economy if I buy a rifle??
Aren’t they closing all the guns shops?
My state never closed ours. Pawn shops stayed open as well, and they sell a lot of weapons.
The ones in Michigan are closed but not for much longer. Governor Whitless may be a Democrat but the Legislature is controlled by Republicans; Republicans who don't want to go back to chasing ambulances. They're dealing with a resolution removing the loophole that let her have the power to close things up by fiat. May 15th is her deadline.
The lowlife will do anything to try and salvage what is left of his approval rating.
Trump forgot to add to his self-aggrandizement letter the following:
"Don't blame the fact that I delayed doing anything effective to stop this pandemic for two months because I didn't pay attention to all the warnings I got. I'm sorry if my negligence caused the astronomical numbers of impoverished, sick or even dead, especially of any of you, your family or your friends, but it isn't my fault, it's all China's fault, so make sure you vote for me in November to continue my brilliant leadership."
Yeah Buzz, you loved Trump with his support for Israel, but know as he rightfully points the finger at China for giving birth to the Covid-19 baby he's a POS
It's all understandable, you have to tow the Chinese communist party line to keep from being hauled away to a reeducation camp.
Since you've not read much of what I've posted, you wouldn't know that I don't tow the CCP line, nor do I have to. I just post what I think and know myself and what I've learned by being here (I don't think you're here and I'll bet you've never been here). Granted I'm smart enough not to get up on a soapbox in a crowd and scream about how evil the CCP is, but then I'll bet you don't have anything bad to say about Trump as well.
You owe Buzz an apology...!
He and I have locked horns a number of times on different topics, but I've never him shown the type of disrespect you have. Considering his location, he is the only person we are able to get an objective internal view from within China. We are lucky to have him here on this site.
Oh, and by the way you (CometRider) are right that I supported Trump's policies concerning Israel, and didn't say much about anything else, but eventually the straw breaks the camel's back, and now the ugly things so far outweigh the good ones that it has no longer become impossible for me to say anything negative about him. His trade wars and tarrifs have cost me extra money, his bullying Trudeau into removing some of Canada's benefits from NAFTA have reduced the value of the Canadian dollar and thereby its conversion rate so my pension is worth less. As well, as I am married to a Chinese woman, and as I have been respected and treated well by Chinese people not only here in China but even back in Canada, and the Bully-in-Chief has now with his ugly rhetoric and name-calling endangered the safety and even lives of the Chinese people. That was the last straw.
“"This will harm the IRS and its ability to appear nonpolitical and nonpartisan," said Nina Olson, executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights.”
is nina talking about obama’s use of the irs against right wing groups?
The bastard. The unmitigated gall... How could he think of doing this....
We all know that dear leader Mr Schumer would never politicize a pandemic...
/s
damn, some of these guys should give up on Washington. They could make so much more money doing shows in Vegas when it re-opens.
Seems like a pretty minor problem, if it is one at all. This is a good thing happening. It's not like the IRS is auditing anyone. And I really doubt people are sitting at home pondering the connection between the IRS, Trump, and their check. That seems like a lot.
I don't see how. I think people know Donald Trump is head of the executive branch. To most people, the IRS is just part of "the government." According to the quotes I see in this story, the Republican Party isn't even mentioned.
The IRS does enough harm to itself. Trump is the guy who is going to ruin their reputation? That's pretty funny. Or it would be if people weren't serious.
If I get a letter (I got my money) I'm going to write KISS MY ASS in red sharpie then mail it back. I rarely get to use stamps these days and it will be an honor to use the USPS to send that letter back to him
I would suggest wiping your ass with it and sending it back, but then you could be brought up on charges of dissemination of a biohazard. The thought is worth it though....!
I thought about it...but I don't trust anything but Ultrasoft Charmin on my butt cheeks. I've had enough colonoscopies to become an expert on toilet paper.
Besides, it's probably cheap paper and not that nice soft velum.
I got the letter from Trump via the IRS via USPS on Monday this week. It was well worded, respectful and intelligent sounding. Thus, there is no doubt that it was written by someone else besides Trump or anyone of his family. His signature at the bottom looked like some 3 y/o playing with a sharpie, as it was basically unreadable, just a bunch of up and down strokes on top of each other.
After reading the letter I fell to my knees and praised our almighty President, and thanked him for thinking of me. /s
Too funny.
”Trump's letter to taxpayers sows further confusion...”
These are the people confused by laundry chemicals. If these noisebags had any balls, they’d burn the cash the street. But then, they didn’t move to Canada three years ago, either.
"That will damage the IRS's reputation, and it will damage the tax system. ...
I'm pretty sure their reputation has been damaged for quite some time.
Any possible way to use taxpayer dollars in order to campaign for himself. It's taxpayer money, and there are those pesky rules, like passing in the Congress and Senate by our elected representatives.