This single internal Powerpoint slide shows basically every tool in the influence toolbox, all in the service of fighting “encroachment” -- ie government attempts to make free tax filing available to all.pic.twitter.com/t6BJB1WFu1
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This single internal Powerpoint slide shows basically every tool in the influence toolbox, all in the service of fighting “encroachment” -- ie government attempts to make free tax filing available to all.pic.twitter.com/t6BJB1WFu1
ProPublica actually wrote about this 2014 strategy as it was happening, though we didn’t know then how carefully planned it was: https://www.propublica.org/article/turbotax-maker-linked-to-grassroots-campaign-against-free-simple-tax-filing …pic.twitter.com/KfQmB27vKq
That was part of a 20-year fight against the IRS making filing taxes simple and free -- as exists in most wealthy countries. Other tactics included: paying academics, hiring their former regulators; lots of lobbyists, and ... planting stories in minority media outlets.pic.twitter.com/txSU1bU3kt
Here’s a confidential presentation given to Intuit’s board of directors showing a decade of their successes against attempts for the IRS to reform tax filingpic.twitter.com/BxXSphnqcb
Remember the TurboTax “Free, Free Free Free” ads this year? Other documents we obtained show that Intuit knew those were confusing customers, who were getting angry.pic.twitter.com/NboK1CbEu3
Current and former Intuit staffers told us about how Intuit’s staffers stress its values -- “integrity without compromise” chief among them. Some joke it should be “compromise without integrity.”pic.twitter.com/geh00ke8Wf
Meanwhile, the IRS, instead of moving to reform tax filing, has often adopted Intuit’s perspective.pic.twitter.com/SNQUUb4fVI
How does all this affect people’s lives? We’ve collected stories of Americans who have paid as much as 1-2% of their small incomes to pay for TurboTax, even when they should have been able to file free.pic.twitter.com/okbxILJTgc
Meanwhile, Intuit’s value as exploded. Co-founder Scott Cook is worth $3.3 billion. Longtime fmr. CEO Brad Smith, seen here partying with Gene Simmons at TurboTax HQ, at least $200 million.https://twitter.com/intuitturbo/status/1055544653120827392 …
The company has maintained it acted properly. A spokesman said: “We empower our customers to take control of their financial lives, which includes being in charge of their own tax preparation” https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6476893-Intuit-Statement-to-ProPublica.html …pic.twitter.com/eoKFgSa9uc
Know anything about Intuit or the IRS? Email me at justin@propublica.org (Signal in bio.)
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