J. Russell George

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (since Nov. 2004)

(TIGTA)

Why He Matters

Ironically, George's work as a Capitol Hill staffer included overseeing the implementation of an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reform act that created the position he now fills.

As the Treasury inspector general for tax administration (TIGTA), George provides independent oversight of the IRS. More than 800 TIGTA employees audit and investigate the IRS in order to promote efficiency and integrity in the administration of federal tax laws and to combat waste, fraud and abuse.

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A former inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service under George W. Bush, George is a former staff director for the House Oversight subcommittee that had jurisdiction over the management of executive branch departments, including their technology. During his tenure on Capitol Hill, George oversaw the strenthening of federal accounting procedures and monitored how inspector generals across the government functioned.

TIGTA's oversight responsibilities extend not only to the IRS, but, in addition, to the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and the IRS Oversight Board. As an independent inspector general within the Treasury, George is under the general supervision of the Treasury secretary and reports directly to Congress.

Oversight of the IRS is no easy task. The IRS is one of the largest governmental organizations in the world, with approximately 100,000 employees. The IRS collects almost $3 trillion in taxes annually and issues approximately $430 billion in tax refunds.

George is also one of 12 inspectors general who serve on the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board that was created by President Obama's 2009 economic stimulus package. As a board member, George is tasked with providing transparency in the use of the stimlus funds, as well as preventing and detecting fraud, waste and mismanagement. The board issues quarterly and annual reports to the president and to Congress and maintains the Recovery.gov web site so the American people can see how Recovery money is being distributed by federal agencies and how the funds are being used by the recipients.

In His Own Words

"An inspector general is not another general counsel of an organization. The IG function is to identify waste, fraud and abuse and advise both the agency head, as well as Congress, on his or her findings with the goal of stemming inappropriate activity and helping to avoid its recurrence," George told senators in 2004.

More on: J. Russell George

At a Glance
Path to Power
The Issues
The Network
Additional Resources

Corrections?

Background

At a Glance

Career History: Inspector General, Corporation for National and Community Service (2002-2004); Staff director and chief counsel, House Government Reform Oversight Government Management, Information and Technology Subcommittee (later renamed the Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, Financial Management and Intergovernmental Relations (1995-2002); Kramer, Levin, Naftalis, Nessen, Kamin & Frankel (law firm), New York City; Associate Director for Policy in the White House Office of National Service; Assistant General Counsel, White House Office of Management and Budge t; Prosecutor, Queens County District Attorney's Office
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Bachelors of Arts from Howard University; Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Harvard Law School

Religion: Episcopalian
DC Office: 1125 15th Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005
Web site

Path to Power

George has worked in the administrations of both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. In between, he praticed law in his native New York.

In the elder Bush's White House, George served as associate director for policy in the White House Office of National Service, helping to implement the Commission on National Service law, which ultimately became the Corporation for National Service, which is the government's premier volunteer organization.

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The Issues

There are various branches within TIGTA: the Office of Investigations, Office of Audit and the Office of Inspections and Evaluations.

Investigations consists of federal agents who protect the IRS from external attempts to harm or corrupt IRS employees, facilities and infrastructure. TIGTA agents investigate attempts by taxpayers or others to bribe or threaten IRS employees. They investigate tax-return preparers who are allegedly engaged in schemes to defraud their clients and the government. They also investigate misconduct by IRS employees, including those who solicit bribes or who improperly access confidential taxpayer information.

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The Network

As head of TIGTA, George reports to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. He will also likely work closely with IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman.

While on Capitol Hill, George worked for then-Rep. Steve Horn (R-Calif.). Former Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) introduced him at his 2004 Senate confirmation hearings.

Additional Resources