Ex-IRS employee who leaked Trump tax returns summoned by House committee

(The Center Square) – A Republican lawmaker is demanding that the man responsible for leaking President Donald Trump’s tax returns in 2019 testify before the House Judiciary Committee.

Responsible for one of the largest data breaks in the Internal Revenue Service’s history, the ex-IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for leaking the tax documents of roughly 400,000 wealthy Americans – including Trump – to media outlets in 2019 and 2020.

Littlejohn’s short sentence results from the DOJ charging him with only one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax information and then offering a plea deal, which Republicans blasted as too lenient.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent a letter Monday to Littlejohn’s attorney, Lisa Manning, demanding she facilitate Littlejohn’s appearance “as soon as possible” before the committee to give testimony.

“The Committee has jurisdiction over criminal law and federal law enforcement pursuant to House Rule X,” Jordan wrote. “As such, to develop effective legislation, such as reforms to DOJ procedures governing plea agreements and new statutory limits of the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, Mr. Littlejohn’s testimony is necessary.”

At the time of Littlejohn’s sentencing, it was believed the leak affected about 70,000 people. But the IRS revealed in February 2025 that the leak impacted roughly five times that many taxpayers, 89% of them businesses.

Elon Musk, a billionaire who is now the head of Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), was also targeted in the leak.

“In light of this new information, Mr. Littlejohn’s testimony is critical to the Committee’s oversight efforts and advancement of potential legislative reforms,” Jordan added.

While Republicans maintain Littlejohn’s actions were a leftist betrayal — given that Littlejohn leaked the tax information to left-leaning media outlets — Democrats are accusing their counterparts of hypocrisy. Since February, Musk and DOGE operatives have reportedly been combing through IRS records for fraud, raising data privacy concerns.

Jones has requested that Littlejohn’s lawyer confirm his appearance date before the Judiciary committee by the end of the month.