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acegame 888 WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year. Wray’s intended resignation was not unexpected considering that Trump had settled on Patel to be director and had repeatedly aired his ire at Wray, including in a television interview broadcast Sunday. But his departure is nonetheless a reflection of how Trump’s norm-breaking style has reshaped Washington, with the president-elect yet again flouting tradition by moving to replace an FBI director before his term was up and Wray — by resigning before he could be fired — opting to avert a collision with the incoming Trump administration that he said would have plunged the FBI into political fighting. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Wray told agency employees. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” The resignation would clear the way for Patel’s ascension, assuming he is confirmed by the Senate. A White House staffer during Trump’s first term, Patel has insisted that the federal government should be rid of “conspirators” against Trump. The comments have stirred alarm that he could seek to use the FBI for retribution against perceived enemies despite longstanding guardrails meant to ensure investigations have a proper basis. It’s extremely rare for FBI directors to be ousted from their jobs before the completion of their 10-year terms, a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations. But Trump has done it twice, placing Wray in the job in 2017 after firing Director James Comey amid an investigation into ties between Russia and the Republican president’s campaign. Despite having appointed Wray, Trump had telegraphed his anger with the FBI director on multiple occasions. Trump said in the recent interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “I can’t say I’m thrilled with him. He invaded my home,” a reference to the FBI search of his Florida property , Mar-a-Lago, two years ago for classified documents from Trump’s first term as president. That search, and the recovery of boxes of sensitive government records, paved the way for one of two federal indictments against Trump. The case, and another one charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, have both been dismissed. Trump applauded the resignation news on social media, calling it “a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice.” and complaining anew about the Mar-a-Lago search. Attorney General Merrick Garland, meanwhile, praised Wray for having “served our country honorably and with integrity for decades.” He said: “Under Director Wray’s principled leadership, the FBI has worked to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law.” Natalie Bara, the president of the FBI Agents Association. said in a statement Wray had led the FBI “through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe. ” Story continues below video Throughout his seven years on the job, Wray brought a workmanlike approach to the job, repeatedly preaching a “keep calm and tackle hard” mantra to bureau personnel despite a steady drumbeat of attacks from Trump and his supporters. In fact, Wray was quick to distance himself and his leadership team from the FBI’s Russia investigation that was well underway when he took office. On the same day of a harshly critical inspector general report on that inquiry, Wray announced more than 40 corrective actions to the FBI’s process for applying for warrants for secret national security surveillance. He said mistakes made during the Russia inquiry were unacceptable and he helped tighten controls for investigations into candidates for federal office. FBI officials actively trumpeted those changes to make clear that Wray’s leadership had ushered in a different era at the bureau. Even then, though, Wray’s criticism of the investigation was occasionally measured — he did not agree, for instance, with Trump’s characterization of it as a “witch hunt” — and there were other instances, particularly in response to specific questions, when he memorably broke with the White House. In 2020, he said that there was “no indication” that Ukraine had interfered in the 2016 election, countering a frequent talking point at the time from Trump. When the Trump White House blessed the declassification of materials related to the surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide, Wray made known his displeasure. Wray also angered Trump for saying that antifa was a movement and an ideology but not an organization. Trump had said he would like to designate the group as a terrorist organization. Then came the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search, which officials defended as necessary given the boxes of documents that were being concealed at the Palm Beach property and the evidence of obstruction that the Justice Department said had been gathered. Trump railed against the FBI over that action and has kept up his criticism ever since, including after Wray said at a congressional hearing last summer that there was “some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel” that struck Trump’s ear during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July. The FBI later stated unequivocally that it was indeed a bullet. Before being named FBI director, Wray worked at a prestigious law firm, King & Spalding, where he represented former Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., during the “Bridgegate” affair. He also led the Justice Department’s criminal division for a period during President George W. Bush’s administration.Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram services start to return after outagesThe AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Davion Bailey had 19 points in Incarnate Word’s 65-53 win against East Texas A&M on Saturday. Bailey had four steals for the Cardinals (5-4, 1-1 Southland Conference). Dylan Hayman went 5 of 11 from the field (1 for 3 from 3-point range) to add 11 points. Jalin Anderson had nine points and shot 2 of 9 from the field, including 0 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 7 from the line. The Lions (1-9, 0-2) were led in scoring by Scooter Williams Jr., who finished with 10 points. Mykol Sanchez-Vega added nine points for East Texas A&M. Josh Taylor finished with eight points. The Lions prolonged their losing streak to six in a row. NEXT UP Incarnate Word next plays Tuesday against Duke on the road, and East Texas A&M hosts South Alabama on Sunday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Why do I owe taxes this year? Understanding the reasons

Parents, states press Congress to act on kids online safety billIt’s looking more and more likely the Vikings will be without veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore for a second straight game. He hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury against the Arizona Cardinals a couple of weeks ago. ADVERTISEMENT Though he has an extra 24 hours to prepare this week with the Vikings set to host the Chicago Bears on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, the fact that Gilmore still hasn’t practiced in any capacity isn’t a good sign. After not participating in the walkthrough on Thursday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, Gilmore was listed as a non participant in practice on Friday afternoon. It would make sense for the Vikings to be cautious with Gilmore considering how important he’s been to the secondary this season. They want to make sure he’s back at 100 percent for the playoffs. In the absence of Gilmore, veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau has logged more playing time. There also has been more responsibility placed on fellow cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin, with safety Josh Metellus also mixing in at nickel. ADVERTISEMENT Jones at full strength It appears that edge rusher Pat Jones II is getting closer to making his return given that he was listed as a full participant in practice on Friday afternoon. He has been working through a knee injury and missed last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Having Jones back would be a major boost for the Vikings on defense, as he has found a role as a situational pass rusher. He has a career high 7.0 sacks this season while showcasing the ability to apply pressure off the edge or up the middle. Bynum honored by NFLPA In response to his philanthropy near and far, safety Cam Bynum has been named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 15. Not only has Bynum regularly used his platform in the NFL to help with natural disaster relief in the Philippines, he has continued to spread joy in and around the Twin Cities through charitable events hosted by his Bynum Faith Foundation. ADVERTISEMENT The NFLPA will donate $10,000 to his foundation or charity of choice. In turn, Bynum will take part in a special visit to a local school, children’s hospital, or community center. The recognition also makes Bynum eligible for the Alan Page Community Award, the NFLPA’s highest player honor, which includes an additional $100,000 donation to the winner’s charities. Briefly The rest of the injury report was good news for the Vikings as running back Aaron Jones (back), tight end Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle), and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel (hip) were all listed as full participants. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

AP Business SummaryBrief at 9:51 a.m. ESTCrosslink Capital sells $1.47 million in Weave Communications stockYou’ve got to be a pretty big deal to get an arena like SAP Center to blow up its entire concessions menu. Billie Eilish is that big of a deal. When the Grammy and Oscar-winning for two sold-out shows Tuesday and Wednesday, fans will find only vegan and vegetarian options, in line with Eilish’s advocacy for plant-based diets. So what does that mean? Vegan hot dogs, chicken tenders and pizza will be on the menus, along with popcorn, pretzels and chips and salsa. Vegan Mob will be offering vegan soul food options; Arteaga’s will be making its burritos and tacos with sofritas or veggies and serving them with vegan cheese and sour cream; and Sushi Confidential will be offering veggie rolls, teriyaki veggie bowls and fried tofu for at least Tuesday night. Even the soft serve ice cream at Sugar + Ice will be made out of oat milk. And, the suites will get in on the action, too, by serving a non-meat menu with vegan chicken tenders, Impossible sliders and a crudite with hummus offered along with vegan versions of ranch dip, aioli and ketchup. Vegetarian House, photographed Dec. 6, 2024, is a vegan restaurant in San Jose that originally opened in 1994. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) Good Karma Fine Ales and Food, photographed Dec. 6, 2024, is a vegetarian restaurant in downtown San Jose. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) Tofoo Com Chay, photographed Dec. 6, 2024, is a restaurant in San Jose that serves vegetarian Vietnamese dishes. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) Vegan Bistro and Donuts, photographed Dec. 6, 2024, is a vegan cafe in downtown San Jose. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) Vegetarian House, photographed Dec. 6, 2024, is a vegan restaurant in San Jose that originally opened in 1994. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group) SAP Center regularly has some vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, but this is believed to be the first time the arena has changed its entire menu for an artist. (The willingness to do this could even be a selling point for SAP Center should Paul McCartney, who is a vegetarian, decide to bring his “Got Back” tour to the Bay Area next year.) What if you’re not a vegetarian? Well, you could give it a try for the night or at least consider yourself forewarned and make plans to eat before the show. As part of the push, Eilish also has partnered with Google Maps to recommend vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the cities on her tour. For San Jose, her picks are (520 E. Santa Clara St.), (37 S. First St.), and (548 Lawrence Expy. in Sunnyvale). I’ll add to the list , a great Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant at 388 E. Santa Clara St., and , which also houses , on 10th and Santa Clara Streets (though it’s regularly closed Monday through Wednesday). Pizza My Heart at 117 E. San Carlos St. also offers lots of including a vegan version of its garlic-filled Big Sur pizza. If concertgoers want to make their trip even more sustainable, they should remember that both VTA and Caltrain are good, climate-friendlier ways to get to SAP Center. On the subject of Caltrain, state Sen. Dave Cortese can’t believe the transit agency has agreed to transfer its entire retired fleet — 90 gallery cars and 19 diesel locomotives — to Lima, Peru after finally getting its entire fleet electrified this fall. “This is no way to run a railroad by taking the diesel off California’s carbon footprint then putting it right back on in Peru. Are we not all fighting to decarbonize the same air?” Cortese, who chairs the state Senate Transportation committee, said in a release. that states the intent of the Legislature to restrict the resale of decommissioned diesel trains and rolling stock for continued use. I still like the idea of planting a locomotive and gallery car on permanent display at San Jose’s Diridon Station as part of a transit museum. San Jose musician Gus Kambeitz is being a tuneful Santa Claus this season, with his jazzy Nineteen Big Band performing benefit concerts for two downtown theater companies. On Dec. 10, Nineteen will provide the tunes at City Lights Theatre Company for seven actors who’ve performed in “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Kinky Boots” and other City Lights musicals. Go to for tickets. Then, a week later on Dec. 17, Nineteen will be at San Jose Stage Company for its “Sounds of the Season Holiday Bash,” performing jazzy versions of holiday favorites along with some familiar San Jose Stage voices: Adrienne Herro, Allison F. Rich, Will Springhorn Jr. and Jonathan Rhys Williams. Tickets are available at . And if that’s not enough, vocalist Ren Geisick has two chances to at City Lights this month, bringing a mix of classic holiday tunes and originals on Dec. 8 and 15. After the 49ers last couple of games, you might be looking for a less stressful way to spend your Sunday afternoon than seeing if they can beat the Chicago Bears. If so, there is a trio of musical options on Dec. 8 — but they’re all at 3 p.m. at different South Bay venues. Related Articles The San Jose Metropolitan Band will be playing its “Holiday Spectacular” concert at the Hammer Theatre, the San Jose Wind Symphony has “Hollywood Holidays” at the McAfee Performing Arts Center in Saratoga, and the First Congregational Church of San Jose, at 1980 Hamilton Ave., is welcoming chamber orchestra Harmonia California for its Concerts on the Corner series (which will include the world premiere of Bay Area composer Alan Hebert’s “The Orchestra and the Orchard.”) Take your pick. If you don’t get to the First Congregational Church, though, you can always stop by Dec. 13 when it has its holiday program, “Carols on the Corner,” with the church’s Bell Choir, Chancel Choir and Family Band joined by guest musicians. Donations of non-perishable food items will benefit the Campbell United Church of Christ Food Pantry.A key figure in a trucker protest that jammed Canada's capital and sparked a global movement against Covid mandates was found guilty Friday for his role in the blockade. The self-styled "Freedom Convoy" of big rig drivers and protesters rolled into Ottawa in early 2022 from across Canada to express anger at government protocols imposed to contain Covid-19. After three weeks of turmoil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers to dislodge the protesters. Pat King was among hundreds of people arrested, and the first of the protest leaders to be convicted. Two other organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber faced a separate criminal trial but those verdicts are not expected until 2025. King faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted on five charges, including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and disobeying a court order. Acquitted of more serious charges, he smiled at a packed courtroom of supporters as the judge read the verdict. "Mr King was not merely engaging in political speech," Justice Charles Hackland said. "Rather, he was inciting the protesters to continue their ongoing blockade of downtown Ottawa." King led hundreds of big rigs and thousands of protestors to Ottawa, bringing the capital to a standstill for more than three weeks. Residents and business owners complained of incessant honking and harassment. As the demonstrators' demands expanded to a broader anti-establishment agenda, solidarity rallies popped up at Canada-US trade corridors and various places abroad. Most of the evidence at trial consisted of videos King posted on social media in which he urged his nearly 300,000 followers to rail against government overreach. "Hold the line," he said in video posts, appearing also to delight in the gridlock and misery of locals: "Pretty hilarious that people haven't been able to sleep for 10 days." Trudeau faced strong criticisms from civil liberties groups and the opposition Conservatives for invoking the Emergencies Act to dislodge the protestors. But a commission of inquiry ruled it had been "appropriate," calling it "a drastic move, but... not a dictatorial one." amc/bs/bfm

DBU pulls away late to top UT TylerATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — What's stoking the Denver Broncos' surprising surge is the growing connection between rookie quarterback Bo Nix and veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Whenever the Broncos (7-5) need a clutch catch, a key flag or a timely touchdown, Sutton is usually the one delivering it like he did Sunday when he caught eight passes on 10 targets for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns that sparked the Broncos' come-from-behind 29-19 win at Las Vegas. “Courtland played tremendous,” coach Sean Payton said. Again. “He’s just reliable,” Nix said. “He's just always there when you need him.” Sutton's size (6-foot-4 and 216 pounds) and experience (he's in his seventh NFL season) make him an ideal target and safety valve for the rookie QB whose confidence is growing by the week. “He’s smart. He’s savvy. He makes plays when the ball’s in the air,” Nix said. “You can trust him. When it’s up in the air, it’s his or nobody’s. It’s not going to be a pick.” Nix's first touchdown toss to Sutton was an 18-yarder that allowed the QB to break Marlin Briscoe's 1968 Denver rookie record of 14 TD passes, and the two connected again with 5:30 left to make it a two-score game. The Broncos trailed 13-9 at halftime and Nix said they knew they had to get the ball into Sutton's hands more in the second half after he had caught the only pass thrown his way in the first half (for 17 yards). “Didn’t target him (much) in the first half,” Nix said. “We come out and say, ‘Look, Courtland, this is your half.’ We take over the game. He goes for two touchdowns. That just kind of speaks for what he means to our team.” Sutton has been on a tear after since he wasn't targeted a single time in Denver's 33-10 win at New Orleans on Oct. 17. (Payton mentioned as recently as last week what an anomaly that game was because there was a heavy diet of plays for Sutton that just didn't pan out for various reasons.) In his six games before that goose egg, Sutton had 21 catches on 49 targets for 277 yards and a touchdown. In the five games since, he's caught 36 of the 48 balls thrown his way for 467 yards and three TDs. Plus, he threw a touchdown pass to Nix on a “Philly Special” at Baltimore in Week 9. “I think we're just scratching the surface,” Sutton said. Thanks in part to the chemistry between Nix and Sutton, the Broncos are in position for the seventh and final playoff spot entering December. The passing game, thanks to the Nix-Sutton connection. The running game. Javonte Williams had just 2 yards on eight carries and Audric Estime ran three times for 15 yards against the Raiders' run-heavy fronts and a steady diet of blitzes. Jaleel McLaughlin saved the day with seven carries for 44 yards. OLB Nik Bonitto. His 10 sacks make him the first Denver defender with double-digit sacks since 2018, when Von Miller did it. Once again, the Broncos' special teams, with the exception of K Wil Lutz, who hasn't missed a field goal attempt or extra point since his protection unit cratered at Kansas City three weeks ago and allowed the Chiefs to block what would have been the game-winning kick as time expired. On Sunday, the Raiders had a successful fake punt and a 59-yard kickoff return. Payton isn't saying much about the injuries to DE Zach Allen (heel) and CB Riley Moss (knee) except that to him they're not serious setbacks for either player. 2 — The Broncos are two games above .500 for the first time since starting the 2021 season with three wins. The Broncos host Cleveland (3-8) on Monday night ahead of their bye week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflAffiliate Disclosure If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy . US Appeals Court upholds law requiring TikTok sale Charles Martin | Dec 07, 2024 TikTok's issues with the US government and courts continue. 0 Facebook x.com Reddit In its decision, the US Court of Appeals noted that the law requiring the sale of TikTok was a bipartisan effort in order to counter "a well-substantiated national security threat posed by the PRC (People's Republic of China)." The US government believes that Bytedance's ownership of TikTok gives them — and thus the Chinese government — access to a vast trove of personal data collected from users. TikTok will likely appeal to the Supreme Court, which could result in an extra 90-day stay on enforcement of the law if the court agrees to hear the case and President Biden approves the stay. If it refuses the appeal, TikTok could be facing a ban or forced sale in the US in early January, despite the 170 million Americans using the social media service. A reflection of current political tensions TikTok is considered one of the leading sources of misinformation and disinformation, alongside other social media networks like Meta's Facebook and X.com, formerly Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk. Officials in China have called the law "a blatant act of commercial robbery." Tensions between China and the US have grown steadily because of new restrictions on China's chip industry by the Biden administration. China has responded by banning exports of certain rare earth elements to the US. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has found allies in the American Civil Liberties Union, which said in a statement that banning TikTok "blatantly violates the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans who use this app to express themselves and communicate with people around the world." Chew vowed that TikTok "will continue the fight to protect free speech on our platform." However, the appeals court found that China's influence over ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, raised the possibility of China manipulating public discourse. If the Supreme Court refuses to hear the case, ByteDance must sell the service by January 19 — one day before President-elect Trump is sworn into office for his second term. During his previous term as President, Trump was in favor of forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok, but he has recently said he is now opposed to the deal. Trump also tried to ban Tencent-owned WeChat in 2020, but legal efforts blocked his administration from enforcing the order.WASHINGTON — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes since the nation’s tax collector received a massive influx of funding through Democrats’ flagship tax, climate and health law in 2022. The announcement comes amid a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority in both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS leadership, meanwhile, is hoping to justify saving the funding the agency already has. On a call with reporters to preview the announcement, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency during his term will help the incoming administration and new Republican-majority Congress achieve the goal of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Republicans plan to renew some $4 trillion in expiring GOP tax cuts, a signature domestic achievement of Trump’s first term and an issue that may define his return to the White House. “We know there are serious discussions about a major tax bill coming out of the next Congress,” Werfel said, “and with the improvements we’ve made since I’ve been here, I’m quite confident the IRS will be well positioned to deliver on whatever new tax law that Congress passes.” Tax collections announced Thursday include $1.3 billion from high-income taxpayers who did not pay overdue tax debts, $2.9 billion related to IRS criminal investigations into crimes such as drug trafficking and terrorist financing, and $475 million in proceeds from criminal and civil cases that came from whistleblower information. The IRS also announced Thursday that it has collected $292 million from more than 28,000 high-income non-filers who have not filed taxes since 2017, an increase of $120 million since September. Despite its gains, the future of the agency’s funding is in limbo. The IRS originally received an $80-billion infusion of funds under the Inflation Reduction Act, though the 2023 debt-ceiling and budget-cuts deal between Republicans and the White House resulted in $1.4 billion being rescinded from the agency and a separate agreement to take $20 billion from the IRS over the next two years and divert those funds to other nondefense programs. In November, U.S. Treasury officials called on Congress to unlock $20 billion in IRS enforcement money that is tied up in legislative language that has effectively rendered the money frozen. The $20 billion in question is separate from another $20 billion rescinded from the agency last year. However, the legislative mechanism keeping the government afloat inadvertently duplicated the one-time cut. Treasury officials warn of dire consequences if the funding is in effect rescinded through inaction. Trump last week announced plans to nominate former Missouri Rep. Billy Long, who worked as an auctioneer before serving six terms in the House of Representatives, to serve as the next commissioner of the IRS. Democrats like Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have called Long’s nomination “a bizarre choice” since Long “jumped into the scam-plagued industry involving the Employee Retention Tax Credit.” Trump said on his social media site, “Taxpayers and the wonderful employees of the IRS will love having Billy at the helm.” Werfel’s term is set to end in 2027, and he has not indicated whether he plans to step down from his role before Trump’s inauguration. Trump is permitted to fire Werfel under the law. Hussein writes for the Associated Press.

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors: How to watch, schedule, live stream info, start time, TV channel

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