Original Article By Ashley Brasfield
Republicans are voicing concerns about President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Donald Korb, over his past donations to Democrats, the Daily Caller has learned.
Korb contributed several thousand dollars to former Rhode Island Democratic Governor and Biden Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo between 2013 and 2019.
A former Senate Republican chief of staff warned that Korb’s donations to Raimondo could complicate his confirmation.
“This will be a problem for Korb. A top priority for Senate Republicans is crushing the liberal deep state at the IRS. Most Senate Republicans are not going to trust a major Gina Raimondo donor to get the job done,” the chief of staff told the Caller.
While still governor, Raimondo became co-chair of Organizing Together 2020, a coalition of left-wing groups dedicated to advancing progressive issues and defeating Trump in key swing states, according to The Providence Journal.
She was later tapped to serve as Commerce Secretary under the Biden administration, where she worked to allocate all agency funds before the end of her tenure to avoid Trump and the GOP clawing back the Democrats’ ambitious spending projects, according to a Politico report.
As secretary, she also hosted the department’s first “Equity Town Hall,” where she unveiled the agency’s four-year strategic plan and placed equity at the core of the administration’s agenda, according to an MBN USA report.
“America’s diversity is a competitive advantage – but only if we give everyone an opportunity to fulfill their potential and fully participate. That means women, people of color, and people who live in rural areas, on tribal lands, and in underserved communities,” she said.
From the horse's mouth. Gina Raimondo, previous US Secretary of Commerce, on how sanctions on Huawei were completely ineffective (pic.twitter.com/bm9i109ZXv): "[We] thought we were going to hobble Huawei, it came back stronger than ever, making incredible chips"
— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) November 1, 2025
She also added that…
As recently as Oct. 28, Raimondo went after Trump’s foreign and trade policy during a speech at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, where she stated the “America First” strategy had weakened long-standing relationships.
A senior Senate counsel said Korb’s financial support for Raimondo will give Republican senators pause as they consider his nomination to the IRS.
“The IRS is the most weaponized and politicized agency. We need someone fully committed in that role,” the counsel told the Caller. “I don’t think any Republicans in the Senate knew that Korb gave to Biden’s Commerce Secretary. It’s not a good sign at all.”
Korb has previously donated to Republicans including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, and Maine Senator Susan Collins. But his ties to Raimondo and former President George W. Bush have raised eyebrows among conservatives, who question whether he is fully committed to depoliticizing the IRS and overhauling the agency.
Another individual close to the Trump administration told the Caller that having Korb lead the IRS would be a “disaster.” The source also claimed Korb is out to advance his own agenda rather than pursue Trump’s policy priorities.
“Having a Democrat donor like Korb run the formerly politicized Biden IRS would be a disaster,” the source argued. “Trump wants to end the weaponization at the IRS, and Korb is simply out of step with his agenda.”
Like CLOCKWORK. Mike Benz called it. @realnickpope covered it. Gina Raimondo, Biden's Commerce Secretary, is going to work at the Council on Foreign Relations.
— Rob (@RobMcGravytrain) February 18, 2025
Nick outlined where a whole horde of other Biden-admin swamp creatures are headed next. Read his full article below https://t.co/dB2EuKHByu pic.twitter.com/RunLQmV25y
Korb previously served as Chief Counsel for the IRS from 2004 to 2008 before joining the prestigious law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, where he became head of its Tax Controversy Practice. The firm has reportedly contributed $2,680,952 to Democrats — 77.9% of its total political donations — ranking as the third-largest donor to Democratic candidates among U.S. law firms.
Earlier in his career, Korb worked at the IRS as an attorney advisor in the Office of Chief Counsel and later as assistant to the commissioner of internal revenue, where he helped coordinate the agency’s role in implementing the Tax Reform Act of 1986.
Korb appeared before the Senate Finance Committee in October. Democrat Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joined with the Republican majority on the committee to advance Korb’s nomination to the Senate floor.
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