Austin American-Statesman: Trump letters to millions of Americans mailed from Austin

President Donald Trump has been following up with the millions of Americans who received economic stimulus checks, touting the legislation that provided the financial relief and promising that America will prevail over an "invisible enemy."

The one-page letters, in English on one side and Spanish on the other, are sent on White House stationery with Trump's signature. They aren't surprising to Trump supporters — who see it as fulfilling a congressional requirement to keep taxpayers informed — or detractors — who see it propaganda — but the return address did prompt more than one double take.

On the upper left hand corner of the envelopes containing the letter: "Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Austin, TX 73301-0003"

Turns out they were mailed from the large IRS facility in Southeast Austin, one of the few in country with the capacity to pump out such a high volume of letters.

In boldface, the letter trumpets: "Your Economic Impact Statement Has Arrived" as a follow-up to the payments made by the IRS, primarily through direct deposits, to taxpayers eligible for the economic assistance of up to $1,200 per person.

"My fellow American," Trump begins the letter. "Our great country is experiencing an unprecedented public health and economic challenge as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. Our top priority is your health and safety. As we wage total war on this invisible enemy, we are also working around the clock to protect hardworking Americans like you from the consequences of the economic shutdown."

Austinites, depending on their political leanings, saw the letter differently.

"If Trump's name belongs on anything, it is the many death certificates that have resulted from his delay, denial, and ongoing deception," said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, whose district includes the IRS facility that distributed the letter.

U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, said Trump "has every right to communicate directly with the American people. ... His critics on the left would rather seize upon the opportunity to criticize a heartfelt letter rather than focus on the direct payments that he and Congress provided in the midst of a global pandemic."

The letter is being sent separately from the checks, which were modified to include Trump's signature, a move that also irritated Democrats and delayed the issuance of the checks.

But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he suggested that Trump's name be put on the checks, and agency officials said that issuing a follow-up letter was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed by Congress.

A Treasury spokeswoman told the American-Statesman, "The CARES Act required a notice be sent to every American receiving an Economic Impact Payment within 15 days of receipt of the EIP, identifying the amount and form of the payment." The legislation did not, however, specify that the letter come from the president.

"The letter serves as notice of the payment, and as a message from the president during these unprecedented times," she said.

"So far, more than 120 million Economic Impact Payments have been delivered to Americans in less than 30 days," she said.

Nina E. Olson, executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Taxpayer Rights and a former national taxpayer advocate at the IRS, told the Statesman, "My position is that the president certainly can communicate with people at this historic time, by letter, by text, by email, whatever. My concern is that the letter should not be included in an IRS notice; there should be a wall between the White House and the IRS, regardless of who or what party occupies the White House."

"A letter from the White House and the president, no matter how well-intentioned, sent in an IRS mailing, raises questions about undue involvement in IRS activities," she said.

For Rice University political science professor Mark Jones, the letter fits a familiar pattern of state and local officials seeking credit for government spending.

"This is just credit claiming on a nationwide scale," he said.