Trump picks California lawyer to head IRS

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the IRS is Charles Rettig, a tax lawyer from Beverly Hills, California.

If the Senate confirms him as head of the government’s tax collection agency, Rettig would administer the Republican tax code overhaul. He has represented thousands of individuals and companies in civil and criminal tax matters before the IRS. Rettig has also served as chair of the IRS advisory council, which serves as a public forum for discussing tax issues with IRS officials.

Rettig has also defended Trump’s decision to break with tradition by not releasing his own tax filings during the 2016 presidential campaign.

He wrote for the media outlet Forbes that no “experienced tax lawyer” would tell Trump to release his tax returns amid an IRS audit.