IRS Scandal Narrative Still Inspires Passion
As something of an amateur historian, my biggest question about the IRS Scandal, which I sometimes refer to as Teapartygate, is how prominent it will be in our historical memory in a few decades. There are certain controversies about particular incidents that become vehicles for ideological freight and achieve a long life at least among the culturally literate. Think of the Dreyfus affair (l’affaire Dreyfus) or the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti . The IRS Scandal certainly has an ideological dimension as it can be portrayed as Washington insiders using the most feared federal agency to intimidate people advocating a return to constitutional values.
Volkswagen’s Emissiongate May Include Tax Crimes
Jack lists seven statutes that VW Emissiongate minions might be charged under (There are probably more). Some of them might surprise you. For example it is possible to be charged with tax evasion for enabling otherwise innocent taxpayers to improperly reduce their reported tax liability. That’s a three-year felony. Also a three-year felony are “Attempts to interfere with administration of internal revenue laws”. More apparent are tax perjury, a three-year felony, and false statements, a five-year felony.
Just so you know, there will not be somebody named Hans charged with 60,000 counts of tax evasion and sentenced to 180,000 years. How much time anybody serves will likely be ultimately limited by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. One of the factors considered in tax crimes, however, is the size of the tax loss, which in this case might be, as we say, a number.
Follow Me
Over and over again courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging one’s affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everybody does so, rich or poor; and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands: taxes are enforced exactions, not voluntary contributions. To demand more in the name of morals is mere cant.