UPDATE: IRS Revokes Whistleblower David Nelsen's Access to Network

As of Thursday, March 13th, at 11:18 AM, IRS Whistleblower David Nelsen’s access to the IRS network was officially removed.

This follows an exclusive interview with The Citizen Journalism Foundation (@TheCJFdn), Nelsen shared his personal views on the current state of the IRS, expressing concerns about the outdated systems in place, highlighting how these systems' lack of integration has significantly hindered the efficiency of IRS employees. "We have very antiquated systems. They aren't integrated. We're basically handcuffed," Nelsen explained.

Nelsen emphasized during his interview that his comments were solely his personal opinions and did not represent the official position of the IRS. He cited the IRS Internal Revenue Manual (IRM), Section 11.1.3.3 (2), which states: “IRS employees may communicate with media officials orally, in writing, and online to express their views on matters of public concern without prior notification, consultation, or approval from the Office of Media Relations or any IRS supervisory authority.”

CJF reached out to Nelsen’s supervisor, Carolyn Black, IRS Chief of Media Relations Karen Connelly, and the White House Press Office for comment. Connelly returned James O’Keefe’s call, stating, “We can't comment about personnel actions,” and adding that it was “against the law” to disclose whether she was aware of Nelsen’s access being revoked, before abruptly hanging up.

Nelsen has since retained whistleblower attorney Mike Yoder, who is actively pursuing legal action. Yoder is engaging with Congress and the Office of Special Counsel to address what he argues is clear retaliation.