Feds balk at releasing docs showing IRS sharing tax returns with White House
BY PAUL BEDARD | DECEMBER 3, 2014 | 11:56 AM
Less than a week after ’fessing up that it found some 2,500 documents potentially showing that the IRS shared taxpayer returns with the White House, the Obama administration has reversed course and won’t release the trove to a group suing for access.
In an abrupt decision, the Treasury inspector general’s office said that the documents are covered by privacy and disclosure laws and can’t be provided to Cause of Action, despite a promise last week to hand over some 2,500.
The decision coincides with publication this week of the Washington Examiner's series, "Watchdogs, lapdogs and attack dogs," that assesses problems with the IG system, including the tendency in some quarters to protect federal officials and agencies from critical scrutiny.
RELATED: Revealed --- 2,500 new documents in IRS / W.H. harassment cases
“All of the 2,043 pages of documents we have determined to be responsive were collected by the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to the determination of possible liability under Title 26 of the United States Code. These pages consist of return information protected by 26 U.S.C. § 6103 and may not be disclosed absent an express statutory exception,” said the office in a letter dated Dec. 1.
Instead, Treasury, which oversees the IRS, plans to hand over 466 documents on Dec. 15 that apparently aren’t covered by privacy laws or being proved by the Treasury secretary.
Dan Epstein, executive director of Cause of Action, said Treasury was using “sophisticated” lawyering to weasel out of providing the documents. And he noted that their letter said that Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is now looking into “potential liability” that his tax aides broke laws in sharing taxpayer information with the White House.
RELATED: 30,000 missing emails from IRS' Lerner recovered
Epstein said that either Treasury was “stonewalling” his group, or that Lew “is incompetent” for just now looking at potential lawbreaking by his team on the case that is two years old.
Less than a week after ’fessing up that it found some 2,500 documents potentially showing that the IRS shared taxpayer returns with the White House, the Obama administration has reversed course and won’t release the trove to a group suing for access.
In an abrupt decision, the Treasury inspector general’s office said that the documents are covered by privacy and disclosure laws and can’t be provided to Cause of Action, despite a promise last week to hand over some 2,500.
The decision coincides with publication this week of the Washington Examiner's series, "Watchdogs, lapdogs and attack dogs," that assesses problems with the IG system, including the tendency in some quarters to protect federal officials and agencies from critical scrutiny.
RELATED: Revealed --- 2,500 new documents in IRS / W.H. harassment cases
“All of the 2,043 pages of documents we have determined to be responsive were collected by the Secretary of the Treasury with respect to the determination of possible liability under Title 26 of the United States Code. These pages consist of return information protected by 26 U.S.C. § 6103 and may not be disclosed absent an express statutory exception,” said the office in a letter dated Dec. 1.
Instead, Treasury, which oversees the IRS, plans to hand over 466 documents on Dec. 15 that apparently aren’t covered by privacy laws or being proved by the Treasury secretary.
Dan Epstein, executive director of Cause of Action, said Treasury was using “sophisticated” lawyering to weasel out of providing the documents. And he noted that their letter said that Treasury Secretary Jack Lew is now looking into “potential liability” that his tax aides broke laws in sharing taxpayer information with the White House.
RELATED: 30,000 missing emails from IRS' Lerner recovered
Epstein said that either Treasury was “stonewalling” his group, or that Lew “is incompetent” for just now looking at potential lawbreaking by his team on the case that is two years old.
It is just the latest twist in the taxpayer advocate’s effort to prove allegations of political harassment of
conservative taxpayers and groups. The documents are not related to the larger IRS harassment of
Tea Party groups, but could show a pattern of targeting by the White House.
RELATED: Tea Party lawsuit thrown out
Cause of Action had won a Freedom of Information legal action to gain access to the documents and expected them to be redacted. Epstein said that he expects to fight Treasury's move in court.
RELATED: Tea Party lawsuit thrown out
Cause of Action had won a Freedom of Information legal action to gain access to the documents and expected them to be redacted. Epstein said that he expects to fight Treasury's move in court.
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