A senior lawyer at the Internal Revenue Service has been placed on administrative leave after an internal investigation was launched into whether his past public calls to “resist” President Donald Trump have influenced his work inside one of the federal government’s most powerful agencies.
Anthony Sacco, an attorney in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, was suspended following a Daily Wire investigation revealing that he had a history of promoting far-left views on social media — including advocating to “pack” the Supreme Court to undermine Trump’s agenda and amplifying rhetoric about dismantling policing institutions.
Sacco, who joined the IRS in September 2022 during the Biden administration as a career civil servant, holds a critical position interpreting federal tax law. He has co-authored multiple revenue rulings — legally binding guidance on how the IRS applies the tax code — including under the current Trump administration, as recently as April 17, 2025.
Trump Administration Seeks to “De-Weaponize” Federal Bureaucracy
The disciplinary action comes amid a broader effort by the Trump administration to purge federal agencies of partisan influence. Officials have expressed renewed concern over “deep state” elements embedded in bureaucracies like the IRS, FBI, and DOJ.
On Thursday, Treasury Secretary and Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent received a briefing on the administration’s strategy to “de-weaponize” the IRS. The briefing reportedly included testimony from IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who previously accused the Biden administration of retaliating against them for investigating Hunter Biden’s tax dealings.
“With deep state leftists in its leadership, it is no wonder the IRS has repeatedly targeted conservatives and conservative organizations,” said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) in a statement to The Daily Wire. “This individual should be fired immediately.”
Sacco’s Partisan Footprint
Before joining the IRS, Sacco worked for Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) on the Senate Finance Committee. His now-locked X (formerly Twitter) account included numerous posts expressing hostility toward conservatives, the Supreme Court, and law enforcement.
In a post from September 2020, Sacco railed against the Republican-led confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, calling for Democrats to “pack the court” as an act of political resistance.
“The Republican Party has completely obliterated principles, integrity, and norms. Screw ‘going high.’ Pack the Court. #resist,” Sacco wrote.
In another post, Sacco shared a call by Colin Kaepernick to abolish what the former NFL quarterback called the “white supremacist institution of policing,” and endorsed views describing the entire concept of policing as inherently racist.
Offline, Sacco also contributed to a Harvard Law Review article that called for the abolition of the prison system, framing U.S. legal institutions as fundamentally rooted in white supremacy.
Questions of Bias at a Critical Agency
Though Sacco is technically a career civil servant — and therefore not directly subject to political firing rules — his past statements and influence within the IRS have fueled concerns about political bias in government decision-making.
The IRS has faced repeated accusations over the past decade of targeting conservative nonprofits, religious groups, and political organizations. While agency officials have denied intentional misconduct, the perception of partisan enforcement has persisted.
Sacco’s legal interpretations, especially those with sweeping tax implications, may now be subject to review. His leave status is pending the outcome of the investigation, which includes an examination of his social media history, professional conduct, and any potential evidence of bias affecting IRS decision-making.
A Tipping Point for the IRS?
The episode is likely to bolster efforts from Trump allies to further restructure or decentralize key federal agencies. Already, Trump has promised to move parts of the federal bureaucracy out of Washington, D.C.
If Sacco is found to have acted on his stated biases, it could be used as a potent example by critics who argue that government agencies have become politicized and entrenched in partisanship.
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Fire him he is part of the Biden admin Leftist sleeper