Treasury Emails Reveal Biden Admin’s Coordination with Left-Wing Groups on Tax Policy & Messaging

Newly-released emails from Joe Biden’s Treasury Department are stirring up some serious concerns about the influence of left-wing groups on tax policy and government messaging.

The emails, which were made public by Protect the Public’s Trust through a Freedom of Information Act request, uncover a tight-knit relationship between administration officials and employees of left-leaning nonprofits. This collaboration raises red flags about how much sway these special interest groups had over the previous White House.

In one December 2022 email, Victoria Esser of Belle Haven Consulting reached out to Ellen Nissenbaum from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) about prepping talking points for Jack Lew, a former Treasury secretary under Obama.

CBPP, a known contributor to the Affordable Care Act, appeared to be deeply involved in shaping the narrative. Esser’s email showed a clear request for coordination to handle media appearances and potential tough questions.

Nissenbaum forwarded the email to Natasha Sarin, who was a counselor to then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, asking if there was any response being prepared for Democrats. This communication suggests a close, almost seamless working relationship between nonprofit employees and high-level government officials. Concerns about transparency and accountability are certainly justified when policy and PR are so intertwined.

A year earlier, in November 2021, Nissenbaum had emailed Chuck Marr, CBPP’s Vice President for Federal Tax Policy, discussing Republican criticism of IRS funding and enforcement.

Sarin had supposedly called Nissenbaum, worried about GOP attacks on the Office of Tax Analysis estimates. The emails reveal a strategy to counter Republican narratives with carefully crafted responses.

Marr replied to Nissenbaum, confirming that a blog post was being drafted to defend those estimates. The plan included highlighting GOP statements about tax gap revenue, urging them to support additional reporting proposals. This exchange shows a concerted effort to align government messaging with nonprofit advocacy.

Nissenbaum later emailed Sarin to confirm she’d be provided with quotes for a state-level commentary on IRS funding. Sarin’s response indicated that they were working on a document for Nissenbaum, underscoring the level of coordination between the Treasury and outside groups. Such collaboration further blurs the lines between government policy-making and nonprofit agendas.

In May 2022, emails revealed that Treasury officials were set to have a meeting with CBPP and Public Citizen, an organization founded by Ralph Nader. The meeting was meant to discuss modernizing the IRS and promoting equity, with a focus on the Child Tax Credit program. These discussions emphasized the IRS’s role in administering benefits and the need for tax code reform.

Antonio White, then Deputy Assistant Secretary, communicated the meeting details, highlighting the importance of overhauling tax enforcement. The email proposed questions for consideration, aiming to draw lessons from the Child Tax Credit’s implementation. This dialogue illustrates the depth of input these groups had in shaping significant government initiatives.

Fast forward to August 2022, Nissenbaum emailed Sarin about comments made by Nina Olson during a call about Treasury’s savings estimates. Olson’s remarks suggested a preference for shifting funds from enforcement to customer service, aligning more with Republican views. Nissenbaum expressed frustration over Olson’s comments, worried they could be misattributed.

Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public’s Trust, expressed concerns to Just the News about the nonprofits’ influence over the Treasury. He criticized the administration for outsourcing policy-making to these groups and silencing opposing voices. The proximity of Treasury officials to these nonprofits calls into question the integrity of the administration’s decision-making processes.

Chamberlain pointed out that the collaboration on messaging between political appointees and special interest groups was particularly troubling. The blending of administration and nonprofit roles in crafting public narratives was alarming, he stated. This scenario contributed to eroding public trust in government during Biden’s tenure.

Sarin, White, and Nissenbaum, central figures in these communications, did not respond to requests for comment. Their silence leaves many questions unanswered about the extent of nonprofit influence on tax policy. The revelations from these emails continue to fuel skepticism about the administration’s transparency and accountability.