After raising concerns over the summer, the whistleblower met in November with Republican and Democratic staffers on the committee but has declined an invitation to appear for a follow-up, according to the person familiar.
This same person said the whistleblower declined the transcribed interview after an official informed the whistleblower that it could be considered a violation of IRS code to provide the committee with any information related to an individual taxpayer. Under IRS code 6103, IRS employees can be fired, fined or even jailed for disclosing taxpayer information.
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, invited the whistleblower to appear for a follow-up and transcribed interview.
House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, requested President Donald Trump's tax returns earlier this year, saying the committee needed to know if the presidential audit program had been conducted without political bias. Details about the program, which is not enshrined in law, are scarce. The presidential audit program allows for the automatic audit of a new president's and vice president's tax returns when they come into office.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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