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Billy Long

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For other persons named Bill Long, see Bill Long.
Billy Long
Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentDonald Trump
SucceedingDaniel Werfel
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Missouri's 7th district
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byRoy Blunt
Succeeded byEric Burlison
Personal details
Born
William Hollis Long II

(1955-08-11) August 11, 1955 (age 69)
Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Barbara Long
​
(m. 1984)​
Children2
EducationUniversity of Missouri (attended 1973-1976), Missouri Auction School (1979 graduate), Certified Auctioneers Institute (1983 graduate)

William Hollis Long II[1] (born August 11, 1955)[2] is an American politician, lobbyist and former auctioneer who served as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 7th congressional district from 2011 to 2023. He was nominated by President Trump to serve as Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service[3][4] pending Senate confirmation.

A member of the Republican Party, Long was elected to fill the district's seat in 2010, succeeding Roy Blunt upon his election to the U.S. Senate. The district included much of the southwestern quadrant of the state and was anchored in Springfield. It also included Joplin and Branson. After Blunt announced that he would not run for re-election to the Senate in 2022, Long became a candidate in the 2022 race to succeed him, but lost the Republican primary to Eric Schmitt.[5]

Long was an early enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump. [6] Compared to previous IRS Commissioners, Long lacks experience in the tax industry.[7] Long has previously called for abolishing the IRS,[8] as well as replacing much of the tax code with a flat tax.[9][10]

Early life and education

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Long is a fourth-generation native of Missouri.[11]He was born in Springfield in 1955. He attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri from 1973-1976 but did not graduate.[11] [12] Long then attended and later graduated in 1979 from the oldest and largest auctioneering school in the world that has been dubbed by Newsweek as the "Harvard of Auctioneering"[13][14][15], the Missouri Auction School based in Kansas City[16][17]. In 1983, he graduated from the Certified Auctioneers Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.[18]

Career

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Long was an auctioneer and owned Billy Long Auctions, LLC from 1979 to 2011. [19] He was named "Best auctioneer in the Ozarks" for seven years in a row. [20] He was also a talk radio show host on the Springfield-based station KWTO and worked as a realtor part time.[21] He is a member of the National Association of Realtors, National Auctioneers Association, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the National Rifle Association of America, and the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors.[16]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Long was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2023.

Long was among the 75 Republican cosponsors to the Fair Tax Act (H.R. 25/S. 18), first introduced in 2015 by Representative Rob Woodall (R-GA) and then again in 2017.[22] The bill would have phased out all IRS funding and abolished the IRS in 2019. It also would have scrapped the income tax system and replaced it with a 23% national retail sales tax primarily administered by the states.[22]

During a September 2018 House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on alleged anti-conservative bias on social media, far-right internet personality Laura Loomer interrupted the meeting. Long began a mock auction chant pretending he was selling Loomer's mobile phone until she was escorted out.[23][24] The incident generated considerable laughter and applause from the audience.[25]

In September 2018, in response to sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Long retweeted a Twitter post comparing the allegations to a "kiss on the forehead".[26]

Tax consulting

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In 2023, Long worked as a salesperson for Lifetime Advisors and Commerce Terrace Consulting, two companies that encourage clients to apply for tax credits and subsequently take a cut of the benefits.[27][8][28] On his X profile, Long self-describes as a "Certified Tax & Business Advisor".[8] The "Certified Tax & Business Advisor" certificate was given to Long after he attended a three-day course offered by a Florida tax consultancy.[8]

At Lifetime Advisors, Long encouraged eligible clients to apply for a controversial tax credit, the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), for which the IRS temporarily stopped accepting applications for due to a large number of firms making improper claims.[8] Lifetime Advisors took an expansive view of eligibility for the tax credit, sometimes even challenging clients who did not believe they qualified. Companies that erroneously apply for the credit are at risk of having to pay penalties to the IRS. The IRS has warned companies not to rely on companies that ask for a cut of a tax credit.[8] Lifetime has helped companies claim $1.3 billion in ERTC tax credits.[29] In a September 2023 interview, Long stated that he helped only eligible companies claim the credit.[30] The credit itself has cost the government $230 billion. [31]

In 2024, Long lobbied in Washington D.C. for the IRS to approve more tax credit claims.[8]

Realtor

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In July 2023, Long became a realtor with Murney Associates.[32]

Nominated as Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service

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On December 4, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Long to serve as Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service.[33] During his time in Congress, Long repeatedly sponsored bills to abolish the IRS.[22] President Trump "described him as a 'people person' who was 'well respected on both sides of the aisle.'"[34]

Republicans are eager for a change in the IRS and want a new landscape.[35] Idaho Senator Senator Mike Crapo has said he's looking forward to Long's ideas on the agency. The National Taxpayers Union Foundation, a conservative advocacy organisation, praised President Trump's selection for Long to lead the agency in reform.[36] Rep. Jason Smith, the House Ways and Means chairman, also praised Trump’s choice to lead the tax-collection agency stating that their couldn’t have been a better choice.[37]

However, some Democrats have raised concern. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) criticized President Trump for wanting to replace Danny Werfel, who later stepped down as commissioner on January 20, 2025,[38][39] and Long's involvement with the scam-plagued ERC.[22][40] House Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee, echoed his support for Werfel to complete his term, and dismay at Long's lack of qualifications and previous efforts to eliminate the agency he was nominated to lead.[22].

Political positions

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Donald Trump

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Long was an early enthusiastic supporter of Donald Trump, and claimed to have coined the phrase “getting on the Trump train."[6] Trump has praised him, saying “He (Billy) is an extremely hard worker, and respected by all, especially by those who know him in Congress.”[41]

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and Donald Trump refused to concede,[42] Long pushed Trump's false claims of voter fraud in the election.[43][44] In December 2020, Long supported an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the election based on allegations of fraud.[45][46]

Long supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order banning entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries.[47]

Tax-Exempt Rights

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In his first year of Congress, Long urged the IRS to launch a probe of the tax-exempt status of the Humane Society of the United States.[48] The letter followed the Humane Society’s support of a successful Missouri ballot measure strengthening regulations on dog breeders.[6]

Healthcare

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In 2014, Long introduced the Taxpayer Transparency Act.[49] The bill required that federal agencies label any distributed promotional or educational material carry the "paid for by taxpayers" label. The act was a response to a multi-million ad campaign by the Department of Health and Human Services to promote the Affordable Care Act.[50] The bill passed the House amended, before the Senate then passed on to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.[49]

Gun control

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Long opposed stricter gun control measures, including universal background checks and red-flag laws. He argued that such measures infringe on Second Amendment rights and would not effectively prevent gun violence.[51] In 2022, in an interview following the Uvalde school shooting, Long blamed the increase in mass shootings on the legalisation of abortion.[52][53]

Long was repeatedly endorsed by the National Rifle Association of America, earning an "A" rating from them for his demonstrated record of being a pro-gun Congressman.[54]

Abortion

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Long holds a pro-life position on abortion. He has supported efforts to limit abortion access, including legislation aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood and co-sponsored the Sanctity of Human Life Act that proposed to grant full personhood to fertilised embryos. Long has also expressed his support for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and believes that abortion laws should be regulated at the state level. Additionally, he opposes federal funding for abortion services.[55]

In 2015, Long cosponsored the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36). This bill sought to prohibit most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.[56]

LGBT rights

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In 2015, Long condemned the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the constitution.[57] In 2022, Long voted against the Respect for Marriage Act that required all states and territories to recognise same-sex and interracial marriages.[58]

Election history

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2010

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See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 7
Republican primary

Long joined the race for the 7th Congressional District after incumbent U.S. representative Roy Blunt chose to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kit Bond. In the crowded seven-way Republican primary—the de facto election in the state's most Republican district—Long won with 36% of the vote.

Missouri's 7th district Republican primary, August 3, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 38,218 36.56
Republican Jack Goodman 30,401 29.08
Republican Gary Nodler 14,561 13.93
Republican Darrell Moore 9,312 8.91
Republican Jeff Wisdom 4,552 4.36
Republican Mike Moon 4,473 4.28
Republican Steve Hunter 2,173 2.08
Republican Michael Wardell 844 0.81
Total votes 104,534 100.00
General election
2010 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 141,010 63.39
Democratic Scott Eckersley 67,545 30.37
Libertarian Kevin Craig 13,866 6.23
Write-In Others 10 0.00

2012

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See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 7
2012 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 203,565 63.87
Democratic Jim Evans 98,498 30.90
Libertarian Kevin Craig 16,668 5.23
Write-In Others 9 0.00

2014

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See also: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 7

In the August 5 Republican primary, Long defeated Marshall Works, 62.4% to 37.6%.[59]

2014 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 104,054 63.46
Democratic Jim Evans 47,282 28.84
Libertarian Kevin Craig 12,584 7.68
Write-In Others 37 0.02

2016

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See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 7

In the August 2 Republican primary, Long defeated Nathan Clay, Christopher Batsche, Matthew Evans, Lyndle Spencer, Matthew Canovi, James Nelson and Mary Byrne.[60]

2016 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 228,692 67.5
Democratic Genevieve Williams 92,756 27.4
Libertarian Benjamin Brixey 17,153 5.1
Write-In Others 6 0.0

2018

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See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 7

In the Republican primary, Long defeated Jim Evans, Lance Norris, and Benjamin Holcomb. In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee Jamie Schoolcraft, who had defeated Kenneth Hatfield, John Farmer de la Torre, and Vincent Jennings in the Democratic primary.[61]

2018 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 195,872 66.3
Democratic Jamie Schoolcraft 88,642 30
Libertarian Benjamin Brixey 10,833 3.7
Write-In Others 270 0.1

2020

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See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri § District 7

In the August 4 Republican primary, Long defeated Eric Harleman, Kevin VanStory, Steve Chetnik and Camille Lombardi-Olive.[62]

Missouri's 7th congressional district, 2020[63]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Billy Long 254,318 68.9
Democratic Teresa Montseny 98,111 26.6
Libertarian Kevin Craig 15,573 4.2
Independent Audrey Richards (write-in) 1,279 0.3
Write-in 2 0.0

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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References

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  1. ^ "Obituary for William H. Long". Archived from the original on 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
  2. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  3. ^ Fields, Ashleigh (2024-12-04). "Donald Trump names Billy Long as IRS head". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  4. ^ Erb, Kelly Phillips. "Trump Picks Former Representative Billy Long As Next IRS Commissioner". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  5. ^ Gomez, Henry J. (August 2, 2022). "Eric Schmitt wins GOP primary for Senate in Missouri, defeating former Gov. Greitens". NBCNews.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Hancock, Jason (December 4, 2024). "Donald Trump picks Missouri's Billy Long to lead the IRS". Missouri Independent. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  7. ^ "What to know about Billy Long, the ex-congressman and auctioneer Trump wants to head the IRS - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2024-12-06.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Duehren, Andrew (December 24, 2024). "How a Consulting Firm and Trump's I.R.S. Pick Pushed a Problematic Tax Credit". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  9. ^ "What to know about Billy Long, the ex-congressman and auctioneer Trump wants to head the IRS - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2024-12-06. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  10. ^ Lobosco, Katie (2024-12-05). "What Trump's plan to replace the current IRS chief could mean for the agency | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  11. ^ a b "What to know about Billy Long, the ex-congressman and auctioneer Trump wants to head the IRS". CBS News. 2024-12-06. Archived from the original on 2024-12-19. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  12. ^ "About Billy Long". Billy Long for Congress. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  13. ^ https://www.t-na.com/auction/mas.html
  14. ^ https://auctionschool.com/#:~:text=%22The%20Harvard%20of%20Auctioneering.%22&text=The%20Missouri%20Auction%20School%20is%20the%20oldest%20and%20largest%20auction,top%20auctioneers%20in%20all%20fields.
  15. ^ https://texasagriculture.gov/About/TDA-Staff/Walt-Roberts
  16. ^ a b "Meet Vicky". billyforcongress.com. 2020-08-17. Archived from the original on 2020-08-17.
  17. ^ https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/L000576
  18. ^ https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/L000576
  19. ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/09/06/how-rep-billy-longs-auctioneering-past-made-him-the-breakout-star-of-the-twitter-hearings/
  20. ^ "Candidate Details: Billy Long". ourcampaigns.com. 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  21. ^ "Trump wants Billy Long to head IRS. Here's what to know about the Springfield politician".
  22. ^ a b c d e Leddy, Maureen; Shaw, Tim (December 9, 2024). "Werfel, Lawmakers React to Trump's IRS Commissioner Pick". Thomson Reuters. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  23. ^ Watson, Kathryn (September 5, 2018). "Congressman drowns out protester with auction call in Twitter hearing". CBS News. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  24. ^ "Watch: A fast-talking auctioneer-turned-Congressman drowned out this far-right protester". PBS NewsHour. Associated Press. September 5, 2018. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  25. ^ Watkins, Eli (September 5, 2018). "Congressman uses old auctioneer skills to drown out protester during hearing". CNN. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  26. ^ Sonmez, Felicia (September 17, 2018). "Congressman retweets post mocking sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh". The Washington Post.
  27. ^ Cite error: The named reference :252 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  28. ^ Duehren, Andrew (December 6, 2024). "He Promised Huge Tax Refunds. Now Trump Wants Him to Lead the I.R.S." The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  29. ^ https://www.blakeoliver.com/blog/the-questionable-certification-behind-irs-commissioner-nominee-billy-long
  30. ^ Duehren, Andrew (24 December 2024). "How a Consulting Firm and Trump's I.R.S. Pick Pushed a Problematic Tax Credit". The New York Times.
  31. ^ https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/17/trumps-irs-chief-tax-credit-businesses-00194237
  32. ^ Szuch, Susan (December 12, 2024). "Trump wants Billy Long to head IRS. Here's what to know about the Springfield politician". Springfield News-Letter. Retrieved January 28, 2025 – via Yahoo Entertainment.
  33. ^ Fields, Ashleigh (2024-12-04). "Donald Trump names Billy Long as IRS head". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  34. ^ Fields, Ashleigh (4 December 2024). "Trump names Billy Long as IRS head". The Hill. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  35. ^ Kennard, Emily (December 6, 2024). "Republicans Want Billy Long to 'Shake Things Up' at the IRS". Notus. Retrieved January 28, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ^ Picchi, Aimee (December 6, 2024). "What to know about Billy Long, the ex-congressman and auctioneer Trump wants to head the IRS". CBS News. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  37. ^ "Ex-Missouri lawmaker Billy Long is Trump's pick for IRS commissioner". Roll Call. December 4, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  38. ^ Bogage, Jacob (January 17, 2025). "IRS commissioner to resign as Trump eyes replacement". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  39. ^ Katz, Eric (January 17, 2025). "IRS chief to step down upon Trump's inauguration, well before his term expires". Government Executive. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  40. ^ Dore, Kate (December 6, 2024). "Trump's pick for IRS commissioner, former congressman Billy Long, receives mixed response from Washington, tax community". NBC News Chicago. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  41. ^ Kim, Minho (December 4, 2024). "Trump Transition Updates: As Hegseth Vows to Fight, Trump Considers His Options". The New York Times.
  42. ^ "Presidential Election Results 2020: Biden Wins". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  43. ^ Shepherd, Katie (November 6, 2020). "GOP splits over Trump's false election claims, unfounded fraud allegations". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  44. ^ Huguelot, Austin (November 12, 2020). "Top Missouri Republicans embrace Trump's resistance to election results". Rolla Daily News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020.
  45. ^ Court document supremecourt.gov
  46. ^ Smith, Jason; Long, Billy; Graves, Sam; Hartzler, Vicky (December 31, 2020). "We Will Object" (Press release). long.house.gov. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022.
  47. ^ Blake, Aaron (January 31, 2017). "Whip Count: Here's where Republicans stand on Trump's controversial travel ban". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  48. ^ Sirota, David; Santoro, Helen (December 5, 2024). "Trump Nominee Pressured IRS to Crush the Humane Society". The Lever. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  49. ^ a b H.R. 3308 (113th Cong.) at Congress.gov S. 1921 (113th Cong.) at Congress.gov
  50. ^ Shesgreen, Deirdre. "Billy Long's bill a symptom, symbol of gridlock". Springfield News-Letter. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  51. ^ Bacharier, Galen (June 1, 2022). "Billy Long declines to commit support for specific gun control measures in wake of Uvalde". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  52. ^ Lonas Cochran, Lexi (June 3, 2022). "GOP Missouri lawmaker ties shootings to abortion: 'Life has no value to a lot of these folks'". The Hill. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  53. ^ Harvey, Josephine (June 1, 2022). "GOP Lawmaker Manages To Blame Abortion For Mass Shootings". HuffPost. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  54. ^ https://www.nrapvf.org/articles/20160407/nra-pvf-endorses-billy-long-for-the-7th-congressional-district-of-missouri
  55. ^ "Billy Long on Abortion". ontheissues.org. Archived from the original on July 12, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  56. ^ "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR36)". trackbill.com. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  57. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
  58. ^ Dormido, Hannah; Blanco, Adrian; Perry, Kati (December 8, 2022). "Here's which House members voted for or against the Respect for Marriage Act". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  59. ^ "2014 Missouri House Primaries Results". Politico. August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  60. ^ "Missouri's 7th Congressional District election, 2016". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  61. ^ "Billy Long". Ballotpedia.
  62. ^ "Missouri's 7th Congressional District election, 2020". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  63. ^ "All Results State of Missouri - State of Missouri - General Election, November 03, 2020". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  64. ^ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  65. ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  66. ^ "Members". U.S.–Japan Caucus. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
[edit]
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Missouri's 7th congressional district
2011–2023 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Long&oldid=1272657880"