IRS Scandal Activity ‘Absolutely Not Illegal’? Not So Fast ….
26 USC §6103
This is the most obvious one. With very narrow and limited exceptions, it prohibits the release of confidential taxpayer information. Can anyone say “ProPublica?” How about Austin Goolsbee’s comments about the Koch Brothers’ tax returns in 2010? In both cases, it’s pretty clear that confidential information found its way into the wrong hands.
42 USC §1983
This is the statute that the federal government used against the police officers in the Rodney King case back in the 1990’s after they had been acquitted by a California jury. It prohibits depriving anyone under the jurisdiction of the United States of his civil rights. To the extent that IRS officials interfered with the First Amendment rights of these applicants, this statute could apply. At a House Judiciary Committee hearing on May 15, 2013, Eric Holder mentioned that the criminal investigation that he has opened into this IRS matter could include penalties for violations of civil rights.
18 USC §242
A federal statute making it punishable by fine or imprisonment to violate anyone’s rights, privileges or immunities under the Constitution or the laws of the United States. Once again, thwarting these groups’ rights of association or participation by government action could cause liability under this statute.
I have not included any non-criminal civil penalties that the individuals involved in this mess could have run afoul of because technically, those things are not “illegal,” just wrong, the same word that everyone applies to this disgraceful conduct by the IRS.
As Thomas Jefferson wisely noted, when the people fear the government there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. It’s disgustingly obvious which side this Obama bunch is on.
