Dupage Policy Journal

Three out of four taxpayers are due refunds from the IRS for wrongful asset seizures – but only 16 percent are ever refunded, according to testimony delivered during a hearing chaired by U.S. Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL), a member of the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee.

“You’re defending something that is indefensible,” Roskam said during the hearing, according to a June 21 press release. “The notion that people at (the Department of Justice) have this kind of power and this kind of discretion and can run roughshod over innocent people and basically get stiff-armed and say, ‘Well, you pled guilty and now we’re going to use your guilty plea against you, even though we manipulated a guilty plea,’ that’s shameful."

Since 2015, Roskam has fought to curb abuses of the civil asset forfeiture power granted to the IRS. Last year, he worked with Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), then ranking member of the Oversight Subcommittee, to push for refunds to those whose assets had been seized without cause.

Roskam also co-sponsored the RESPECT Act which would require the IRS to formally charge taxpayers with crimes before capturing their assets. The bill passed with no dissenting votes in the House last year, and was included in an IRS reform bill this year.