Richard Pollock of the Daily Caller shines light on a recent federal government policy change that should concern advocates for the disadvantaged.

The Obama administration has quietly killed an IRS tax preparation program designed to help low-income and disadvantaged citizens, choosing instead to give millions of dollars to liberal groups for the same purpose.

Without fanfare, the administration has closed down the free walk-in services at hundreds of taxpayer assistance centers around the country.

Administration officials are now trying to steer the “face-to-face” help to volunteer community groups, some with political ties. But one undercover inspection of those groups in 2013 revealed a 49 percent error rate.

Enjoying bipartisan support, the tax centers had provided service to low-income and disabled citizens, rural dwellers and citizens not proficient in English. Workers earning $49,000 or less got free face-to-face help from IRS employees.

Funding was not an issue for the program. Unlike other parts of the IRS that faced cutbacks, the taxpayer assistance program was left untouched by Congress. …

… [A]ccording to the IRS, the administration abruptly ended the service in January 2014 without hearings, legislation or a public comment period.

Discontinuing the program has generated a storm of protest from taxpayer advocates who say the poor and disadvantaged are facing increasingly complicated tax burdens, but are getting less help from the Obama administration.

Many tax advocates say ending the service for the poor is the height of hypocrisy for an administration that claims to support the little guy.