The Tables Have Turned
The lost email scandal of 2014 is entering a new phase, a possible criminal investigation. In 2014 the IRS claimed to have “lost” thousands of emails that may show conservative groups were targeted for denial of beneficial tax status. Not only did the agency claim the emails in question were lost, but that they were irretrievable. According to the powers that be at the nation’s supreme taxing authority, the hard drives of the computers on which the emails were contained had been damaged beyond repair. Thus, the emails were lost to eternal cyberspace. In a new development, a hearing into the matter seems to indicate possible criminal charges are on the way. This wouldn’t be the first time an IRS official has faced this type of investigation, but it is certainly not the norm for those associated with the agency.
Turning the tables like this caused the player at the center of the controversy, Lois Lerner, to invoke her 5th Amendment right to not testify against herself. Now, it is reported, a new lawsuit has been filed:
- The Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeks documents, records relating to destruction of documents, and the hard drives of several IRS employees.
- A criminal investigation has not been ruled out, and is likely to follow.
In response, the agency says gathering the requested data is too difficult a task. By the time this mess is sorted out, the country will likely have just elected a new President and the winds of change will have already come and gone. Expediency usually isn’t the name of the game with the IRS, as the average taxpayer well knows. And, while it might seem tempting to fudge a little on your own tax issues, the best bet is still to play fair. This is true even with the agency charged with oversight of taxation fails to do so.
If you are experiencing a tax related legal issue, call one of our trained legal tax professionals for help. Let the professionals at Nielsen Law Group help you with all your tax needs. Call (480) 888-7111 or submit a web request here.