Duke alum becomes IRS commissioner

A Duke alum is now the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in wake of a political scandal surrounding the tax collection agency.

Daniel Werfel, who has a master's degree from the Sanford School of Public Policy as well as a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was chosen by President Obama in mid-May for the position. He previously served as the controller of the Office of Management and Budget, which made sure federal government agencies were adhering to the sequestration regulations. Additionally, Werfel has worked for both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations on budget issues.

The former IRS chief Steven Miller was forced to resign when facing accusations that the agency was placing additional and unwarranted scrutiny on conservative organizations. Obama called the misconduct of the agency "inexcusable."

Since his appointment, Werfel has focused on making major administrative changes to the IRS, replacing several upper-level administrators including Lois Lerner, the head of the tax exemption division. He has been noted for taking responsibility for resolving the issues surrounding the agency and promising to be open and cooperative with Congress in the future.

“These failures have undermined that public’s trust in the IRS’s ability to administer the tax laws in a fair and impartial manner,” Werfel told a House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee. “The agency stands ready to confront the problems that occurred.”

It is currently unknown whether Werfel will eventually be placed into the role full-time, as his current appointment is temporary. It has been noted that he has been confirmed into other roles by the Senate previously and has good relations with both parties in the chamber.