IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn strolled into a federal courthouse in Washington on Oct. 12 and pleaded guilty to a single count of unauthorized disclosure of tax return information. The Department of Justice issued a press release with various public officials, including Merrick Garland, uttering platitudes about the rule of law. Like many things today, it was a complete charade.
Littlejohn illegally accessed Donald Trump’s tax return information in 2019, which was then published before the 2020 election in The New York Times. Also, in 2020, he illegally accessed the tax return information of scores of prominent individuals, and that information was published by ProPublica later that year. This was a very serious criminal scheme.
For years, the IRS inspector general (TIGTA) allegedly investigated the crimes, but with no discernible activity. (They apparently did not contact The New York Times or ProPublica.) This lack of progress was despite a system called UNAX (unauthorized access) within the IRS, which flags the internal unauthorized access of tax returns. Every year, IRS employees are fired and even prosecuted for accessing the tax return information of ex-spouses and celebrities. Even if UNAX did not flag Littlejohn, it would have greatly reduced the pool of suspects.
Recently, one victim of the leaks, Ken Griffin, sued the IRS. That seemed to get the government’s attention. As part of a prearranged agreement, Littlejohn was allowed to plead guilty to a single count of unauthorized disclosure. Given the seriousness of the crimes, he will probably serve some jail time, but the government has afforded him every courtesy. The government also apparently claims Littlejohn acted alone, which seems unlikely.
DOJ did not stack multiple counts against Littlejohn. Despite statements in its own press release about Littlejohn obstructing the investigation, he was not charged with obstruction. He was allowed to freely walk into the courthouse to plead guilty and walk back out. There was no theatrical arrest with a gunned-up SWAT team and no pre-dawn raid with CNN in tow. He was a contractor, but there was no mention of his Beltway Bandit employer, and that company’s identity has not leaked out. The government officials clearly viewed him as “one of us.”
And yet Littlejohn should be kicking himself. I dislike Donald Trump, but I suspect that if Littlejohn had stopped after disseminating Trump’s return information, TIGTA would still be “investigating.” I also suspect that if Ken Griffin had not sued the IRS, TIGTA would still be “investigating.”
I may be cynical about this matter, but I have a solid foundation for that cynicism. I was forced out as an IRS attorney after 30 years of service because I was a whistleblower. The IRS and its Mr. Fix It, TIGTA, claimed I violated taxpayer privacy because my name appeared in a Washington Post article. They then sucker-punched me with a notice of proposed termination. To support their case, they literally made up conversations that never occurred. The IRS and TIGTA shredded the civil service rules and broke the law to force me out, and no one in Washington cared. A friend summed up the situation best by stating, “They are willing to lie, and they have more lawyers than you do.”
In addition, I provided TIGTA in 2017 with the names of nine witnesses to substantive IRS corruption and misconduct. To this day, TIGTA has not contacted those witnesses, and no one in authority has bothered to ask TIGTA why those witnesses were never contacted. This is the environment of complete corruption in which the Littlejohn “investigation” was conducted.
The arrogance of government executives is matched only by their cleverness. They are very clever people. There is a difference, however, between being clever and being wise. If they were wise, they would realize that their clever schemes are causing incalculable damage to our country, the rule of law, and social trust. Or maybe they don’t care. After all, they are willing to lie, and they have more lawyers than you do.
Reprinted with permission from the DC Journal by William Henck.
Defund IRS. They sure don’t need another 80,000 Armed agents to intimidate, Spy, and attack Americans.
Especially the poor, disabled, and Conservative political opponents.
“People Should Not Be Afraid Of Their Governments. Governments Should Be Afraid Of Their People.”
The last paragraph, and especially the last sentence of the same paragraph, was one of the best summations of the mentality that exists across most, if not all, of the federal government’s departments and agencies.
To answer the author’s question, they don’t care. Many leaders view themselves as the gatekeepers of the administrative state, which in turn means supporting and protecting the Democrat Party and its agenda by any means necessary.
That this IRS contractor mentioned in the article was both caught and successfully prosecuted is an anomaly. In most instances, the federal departments and agencies close ranks to ensure no one is ever arrested or prosecuted by means of either endless internal investigations, that go nowhere, or by offering anyone publicly identified a early retirement with full government pension.
Talk about the Swampy Deep State — the IRS is a huge part of it. The Deep State swamp is like acid running all over the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and any law that protects individuals’ rights, liberties and/or their pursuit of happiness.
Trump was so very right about getting rid of the IRS altogether. That would be a truly good beginning, but only the beginning of cleaning up and down-sizing government bureaucracy.
Every dept in ole Joe’s regime is working on the fall of America. Whistle blowers are being ignored if not being followed every day for the rest of their life.
They don’t care about the border, the war against Hamas, inflation, citizens living in fear I could go on. Ukraine and China that is where it’s at for Joe. Talk to the people of Palestine in Ohio or Maui how much help they got from ole Joe. When are the sheep going to realize that we live under a dictatorship.
Anytime any public official is given power they tend to abuse it. It’s very rare if they don’t.
So Mr. Henck “dislike”s Donald Trump. Might I presume he voted for Biden then as many Trump haters do. And how did that work out for him after providing TIGTA with witnesses of IRS corruption?
And now we have over $80 Billion in funding under the Biden administration to hire new agents that likely will NOT follow through on Mr. Henck’s witness list.
We see corruption at the IRS, DUH! show me a Government, Agency under Biden that is not corrupt to the core! President Nixon was a saint compared to this bunch Stubble Bums!
God Bless America, throw the bums out!
Oh, but not worry, those 87,000 new agents will keep everyone straight….yeah…that’s it!
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
🙂
The Deep State knows no bounds.
The IRS, FBI, DOJ are playing fast and loose with the law of the land.
Amazing how these people sell their soul to the far left , and then regret what they have done in the long run . Then they end up paying the price from the far left repercussions because they didn’t follow their agenda, and stuck to the lies, in the long run everyone looses. Thats why you stay far away from this rat race. In the long run God will catch up to them .
There is a simple solution to this problem. Flat rate tax. Everyone pays a flat 10% tax on every dollar they earn. It’s taken out of your paycheck, no forms to fill out, no deductions 10% and done. Higher earners pay more than lower earners, easy peasy. No IRS needed !
Not cleverness..the decietfulness.
The only time the IRS is useful: take those 187,000 armed IRS agents and have them audit the Bidens, Pelosis, and Clintons.
Yes can we defund the IRS A-Z
How about the doctor that Congress has NEVER imposed the tax on the majority of Americans. Why are we putting up with these terrorists?
Welcome to 1984, Big Brother and the Police States of America.
A core agency in the Police State.
Stories like this abound and just confirm my belief the FED is too large and involved in our lives beyond Constitutional limits. We cannot have faith in people in positions of authority who lie cheat and steal while suppressing us. I never encounter people who have faith in government, particularly now. The mere fact that we have the current administration full of corruption is convincing evidence elections are ripe with fraud.
gee what a surprise – irs is corrupt!
It’s parrt of our federal gov. why am I not shocked?
Too bad the citizens of this country have all decided to just bend over and take it from their tyrannical government. A stronger people would ban together as a massive group and take collective action. No need for violence, just get together with every member of some large patriot themed organization and simply refuse to pay your Federal Income Tax.
They have used every open facility to house their beloved illegal invaders so they don’t have room much less judges for imprisoning hundreds of thousands if not a million or more non compliers.
Just an idea for which no action will ever occur.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW. I WORK MY XXX OFF UP AT 3AM HOME AT 4PM EVERY DAY FOR 35 YR’S SINGLE MAN. EVERY BILL EVERYTHIN IN LIFE THAT HAS TO BE DONE IS ON ME. THE GOV TAKES OVER 18K OUT OF MY PAY A YR. AND THEN I TAX TIME HAVE THE BALLS TO SAY I STILL O 1000$
They need to be removed from their job.This is illegal and we are on the side of the law.
And this is a surprise?
There is a simple solution to this problem. Flat rate tax.
Homeland security doctored a tape of an agent cutting open my husband’s ash container in my checked bag at the airport after I had called the local news. They ALL lie.
IRS, FBI, and DOJ need upper management to go and make a fresh start.
Corruption and weaponization of departments in the federal government by democrats? I am shocked!
Misconduct is a norm Can anyone name an agency or department of the fed gov that is not tainted?
That’s why we earn just the minimum to get by and take advantage of every deduction. I hate giving these people any more money than absolutely necessary…
This is the status quo of Bidum’s administration: “Think and talk like we think or we will put you in jail and throw the key away”! Anyone with an R in front of their name is targeted, starting 8 years ago, with former President Trump. And yet dimocraps are protected. If their lips are moving they are lying. I used to think Killary was the master at that, but today that honor goes to Sec. of Homeland Security Mayorkas. When questioned in hearings, he can smile and lie repeatedly with no outward shame or guilt! He is disgusting!
No agency, government or other, should have this runaway power.With the backing of a corrupt administration they are a tool to aid in taking down those perceived as opposition.Our country is at the edge, freedom 1–communists 10. Our representation is running scared leaving us in the mud fallout, with no direction, no support, no resolve they should be Embarrassed
Our country is circling the drain, all because of the hatred of Donald Trump. Period.
I’m not surprised at any government agency stealing and cheating. I’m still waiting to see HiLIARy imprisoned for destroying thousands of her emails to cover her crimes. The FBI executives and the DOJ have unprosecuted criminals running free. We definitely have a two-tiered “justice” system. O, yes, don’t forget the Biden crime family. I don’t see how America will ever recover..
“Corruption and Misconduct in the IRS”
Well what a big f****** surprise! That bureaucracy was weaponized in ’08 (when Obama slithered into office) most specifically against anyone or anything moral, conservative or Christian.
It should be obvious by now to everyone that this activity in our government has been going on for many decades.Still we are to believe people think our government is there to help us. No wonder they show they feel untouchable…they in fact are and prove it every day.It’s not a republican/democrat thing it is a world wide problem.
Please we need an audit of the Democrat and the Republican politicians. Please audit the House and the Senate. They are so self serving!
Yes, agreed. Defund the IRS! 87,000 more agents, so the middle class has even less money to spend. Give me a break.