The IRS sought a legal opinion to determine whether putting then-President Donald Trump's name on stimulus checks issued during the COVID-19 pandemic was legal, Bloomberg News reported, citing documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, aka the CARES Act, was a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill that Trump signed into law in March 2020 that gave taxpayers $1,200.
Before the checks were sent out, The Washington Post reported Trump's name would be on the checks. Democrats accused Trump of trying to score points in an election year and said it might be illegal.
According to the FOIA documents obtained by Bloomberg, top IRS officials were concerned the agency was being politicized by the White House and Treasury Department.
"Did Counsel push back on this? Did anyone raise the concern about how this makes the IRS appear?" one IRS official wrote in an email sent to then-IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig and others at the agency.
"I feel bad for W&I," wrote then-Deputy Commissioner Sunita Lough, referring to the wage and investment division. "Just being whiplashed at the 11th hour."
IRS officials were also worried that they were personally being used by the White House to promote Trump's reelection and would be in violation of the Hatch Act and other federal laws, Bloomberg reported.
The IRS received legal advice from a top lawyer at the Treasury Department and the White House Office of Legal Counsel who gave them the OK. The IRS was also concerned adding Trump's name to the checks would delay the mailing of the payments, adding additional costs, Bloomberg reported.
IRS officials also debated whether the Spanish-language translation of the letter should translate "White House" to "La Casa Blanca," Bloomberg reported, citing the documents.
"I'm thinking no," one IRS official said.
"I agree. People might be shocked! shocked! to see translating in la Casablanca," responded another.
Taxpayers were to be charged an additional $250,000 because the Government Printing Office had to hold off for about a week to add a letter from Trump, but the agency waived the fee, Bloomberg reported.