That's the headline for a piece labelled "Opinion" and signed by The Editorial Board of The Wall Street Journal.
[Taibbi told the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government] that an IRS agent showed up at his personal residence in New Jersey on March 9. That happens to be the same day Mr. Taibbi testified before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government about what he learned about Twitter. The taxman left a note instructing Mr. Taibbi to call the IRS four days later.
It seems to have just been about an identity theft issue, in which case Taibbi is the victim, not someone accused of anything. It's annoying, but not threatening to the taxpayer. The question is just why come to his house about that and why on the same day that he testified in Congress. The WSJ editors say it "raises questions about potential intimidation" and endorse the Committee's request for "documents and communications relating to the Taibbi visit."
The IRS needs to prove the timing was just a coincidence.
The fear of many Americans is that, flush with its new $80 billion in funding from Congress, the IRS will unleash its fearsome power against political opponents.
Posts
103 comments:
Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
I guess the question is:
Is it normal for the IRS to come to your house over an identity theft issue?
"Half of the people can be part right all of the time
Some of the people can be all right part of the time
But all of the people can’t be all right all of the time"
Especially curious when you consider that they were checking on 2 returns--one filed over 4 years ago and the other current--both supposedly due to identity theft flags but that Taibbi says have no issues.
Is that something you send an agent to the door for? (I would expect an email or a phone call.) Or did they want to remind Taibbi that they know where he lives?
Totally a coincidence I'm sure. We need to defund the IRS along with the FBI. Both agencies are too corrupt to allow to remain in existence.
Could someone remind me how Lois Lerner was punished for using the power of the IRS to go after Republicans and conservatives?
Hey.. Here are some pix we took of you, through different sniper rifle scopes.
We want to point out.. we did NOT shoot you; we just trained guns on you, and are letting you know it
Remember the Olden Days?? Back when we THOUGHT, that we lived in a free country?
The irs uses MAIL. Period. The only reason to show up at his house is to intimidate them. It appears the irs needs to be razed to the ground with the fbi
My daughter was sent mail request by IRS to confirm her identity: this was just last month. Of course, she’s a ‘normie’ and of minimal concern to this regime.
Shorter: yes, the government knows who you are AND where you live.
And don’t tell me “he’s the victim”: that’s naïveté on a gross scale.
The feds are so grateful to Taibbi for his work informing the country about the extent of government interference with and suppression of speech on social media that it made the extra effort to send agents to his house for a minor issue that could have been handled by letter, email or phone call.
" (I would expect an email or a phone call.)"
"IRS employees may call taxpayers to set up appointments or discuss audits but not without first attempting to notify taxpayers by mail."
"The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information."
How perfect that he was testifying before the "Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government" when the agents arrived. Was the timing intentional to send a message, or are they just utterly tone deaf?
Nice identity you have here. Would be a shame if something happened to it. We're looking out for you and hope that you'll look out for us too. Be really bad if we weren't looking out for you, you know.
Oh “he’s the victim” all right. Who's victim? That is the question. This country hasn't really been free for a very long time. They've just quit trying to pretend now.
No such thing as the Deep State.
cfs said...We need to defund the IRS along with the FBI.
It's been observed that if a company does something that makes no business sense whatsoever, you can be certain they are doing it for tax reasons. How many hundreds of billions are spent each year on tax compliance? Have we hit a trillion yet? That is pure loss to the economy.
Why does the average person who gets most of their money from their salary need an accountant to file their taxes? The tax code is so complicated that literally not one person anywhere actually understands it and the reason it's complicated is the government uses tax policy to influence behavior--to encourage actions they like and discourage actions they don't like.
If the tax code were merely to pay for the government, your return could fit on a postcard and we could reduce the IRS budget by 90% or more.
Yeah. Their standard procedure is to contact you by US mail and ask you to reach out to them. They never just show up. If someone came to my door claiming to be the IRS, I wouldn’t believe them.
BULLSHIT. They are lying.
Lois Lerner says hi!
Obama began the process of weaponizing the IRS against political foes. Biden continues it.... on steroids with 87,000 new soldiers.
Absolutely shameful!
Achilles, your reading of my post is just stupid. You need to stop and think before you criticize. It's just plain stupid. I am not deleting it but I should. Maybe I will unless you come back and explain exactly how my text could fit the interpretation of it that you chose. And you know what? If you don't, I may have to regard you as a simple troll from here on out.
I'm setting a 30 minute timer on Achilles. I will delete his comment unless I get a satisfactory answer.
Its a subtle suggestion to do less samuzdar and more blank pages
This would be called 'official oppression' or 'witness tampering' if it state or local. But cause it is federal and the DOJ is as crooked as a bent fork... they will do nothing.
Why a visit and not a letter?
I am a retired accountant and in decades of experience I've never had an IRS Agent show up at a client's house. Especially for suspected ID theft. Always via snail mail, ALWAYS.
If I were Kamala Harris I'd ask to see the Venn Diagram of those who testified before a hostile congressional committee and who got an in-person visit from two IRS agents on the same day.
glad to say I, too, agree with CFS,
#DefundTheIrs
#DefundTheFederalAdministrativeState
And let's start a Conga Line:
#LynchLoisLerner
I agree with Achilles. There is no reason - none whatsoever - for agents to come to his home.
1. He's already fully aware that he was the victim of identity theft involving his tax return. I've experienced that very same circumstance; a scammer claimed my wife as a dependent. They flagged our joint return as potentially fraudulent and sent us various demand letters, but we were able to resolve the issue without anyone visiting our house.
2. Agents don't visit your home for a previously resolved issue. The only possible reason to visit Taibbi regarding his victim status would be if he or his were under a credible threat, and that job would devolve to actual LEO, not the fucking IRS.
Anyone who attempts to excuse or rationalize that visit fully deserves any and all scorn and derision they receive.
@Ann, are you really declaring Achilles a heel?
Democrat party is the mob.
What else do you need to understand?
Of course it was an attempt to intimidate Taibbi. They may back off since Taibbi was brave enough to make it very public, probably something the government employees repsonsible for this action didn't expect him to do.
"The fear of many Americans is that, flush with its new $80 billion in funding from Congress, the IRS will unleash its fearsome power against political opponents. "
Sure, why wouldn't they? Besides, they need lots of warm bodies to investigate all those $600+ Venmo and PayPal transactions, especially if there are a lot of smaller transactions that add up to $600 or more. Who is hurt the most by the $600 threshold? It isn't the people who have tax accountants.
I actually had to file a 1099 from - from - the IRS this year, how weird is that?
Also: I've had a few friends that have been plagued by identity-theft problems that reached all the way into their retirement and SS accounts. They never got a house call from the IRS though, they had to drive a couple of hundred miles to sort through it with their lawyer in IRS Headquarters. Of course, they weren't making a habit of writing embarrassing exposés or testifying in front of Congress, either. Maybe if this escalates, h could get James O'Keefe involved, and the missus can throw together some fondue or something, and they can make it a proper occasion. I hope he's recording everything that takes place.
" tim maguire said...
"Why does the average person who gets most of their money from their salary need an accountant to file their taxes?"
That's a question that should be answered but the question is never asked nor answered. Up until a few years ago we prepared our own tax returns. Then the laws became so complication we had to hire an accountant. I expect a call from his office this week to let us know how much more the IRS will be demanding this year.
Congress needs to call the IRS Commissioner to appear before them and explain who made the decision to personally visit Matt Taibbi's home. (Of course, he will give canned answers and refuse to provide any information). Then, demand the agents who made the visit appear, along with their supervisor, and their supervisor, and on up the chain until all responsible have explained the decision. Then, someone (or several someones) should be fired. Oh, and arrest those responsible for intimidation of a Congressional witness.
Biden's administration is like Obama's in lust, abortion, authority, and redistributive change.
I could see the IRS trying to visit the taxpayer in person if other attempts to communicate had failed. Given the target here was literally testifying in front of Congress the same day and is a public figure who is not hard to find, it seems unlikely that they could not contact him otherwise. What is there to explain? It speaks for itself.
"It seems to have just been about an identity theft issue, in which case Taibbi is the victim"
AA, practice a little (leading to a lot) of skepticism. That was a pre-text. The IRS always sends letters first.
Government is not your/our friend.
I’m curious to see if these IRS home visits are routine when someone’s identity is compromised. My brother and a colleague from my years of employment had their’s stolen and I don’t recall them mentioning a visit from the IRS. I know I would if it had happened.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Talk about Hunter
And we'll Epstein you.
Timer went off.
Can you imagine the IRS personally going to every home that has an 'identity theft' problem? Our government is so far out of control it's not even a discussion any longer. The only discussion is how to rein it back in, how to cut it off at the knees.
It's source is taxes. Apparently trillions in tax dollars is enough to pay for this sort of tyranny. Perhaps some cutting is in order, instead of adding 87,000 new agents. I don't think we need to see a regular stream of IRS agents walking down the street, knocking on doors of those who have a differing opinion on things.
Or am I overreacting to the last 30 or so years?
Ms. Althouse, I think Achilles interpretation of your post is a reasonable one. It apparently is not what you meant, but I see where he is coming from and wondered before reading your response if he was right. Maybe your phrasing was too subtle for a weak mind like mine (I won’t speak for Achilles), but I can’t fault his response.
The instructions above the compose window include: "I... substance and discourage personal attacks and repetition."
When you choose to go after the person and include and insult instead of going right to the substance and making your point, you are in a gray area, in a place where I am worried that you are screwing up the forum that I have been working on for nearly 20 years. Show some respect for what I've done here, and if you think I'm just stupid or naive, you'd better couch that belief in writing about substance, especially if you don't even *understand* what I've said.
I'm also spending too much time on this particular case of a bad comment right now. But to put it more generally: I want to deal with things I find interesting, not wrangling trolls. Please help me improve the quality of these threads.
Prof, correct me if I'm wrong, but my assumption is that you are practicing a simple (and effective) technique of assuming good faith in your opponent.
It may seem obvious that the IRS's explanation is a cover for a darker actual reason, but your dismantling of their position is more effective if you start by treating them as honest and then let their position fall apart naturally as you look more closely.
"Oh “he’s the victim” all right."
My phrase "he's the victim" is specifically about the problem of identity theft. If the IRS has a problem with Taibbi's files, it wasn't about any violation of his, but someone else intercepting his SSN. In that case, it's especially hard to understand why they'd go to his house. Many of us have encountered this problem with our tax-filing. It's quite routine, and the IRS solves it in a very routine way. So why would they go to his house?
That's my point.
My wife worked for the Federal government for about 18 years, half of that time with the IRS. The IRS would never send a special agent out to a taxpayer's residence for something like a paperwork issue. It would normally be handled by a mail notification followed by a phone call or office visit, or filling out and signing some forms and returning in the mail. The special agent would only go the home to serve legal papers, seize property, or take the taxpayer in. Special agents can also be armed, if necessary, and are the only IRS personnel authorized to carry a firearm. My wife had a cousin that served in this capacity for the IRS for about 20 years, and they receive special law enforcement training at an IRS training facility above and beyond what other IRS representatives like her received.
My wife has spent time recently scrubbing her social media of all references to her one-time employment at the IRS.
God damn I can't wait until some IRS schmucks show up at my house to discuss identity theft.
PLEASE GOD.
PLEASE LET IT HAPPEN.
My question is whether the IRS agent was at Taibbi’s house in an official capacity, as directed by his superior and authorized by standing procedures in his branch of the agency, or whether the agent was engaged in a rogue action, not ordered or authorized by his supervisor, but seeking to present the impression of an official action for purposes of political intimidation. My guess is that it’s the latter, but after living in or in a suburb of Washington, DC, from 1969 - 2016 my prediction is that the agency will cover for the agent unless there is too much blowback from the public. In that case they will, of course, throw him under the bus. And this is not just the IRS being the IRS; every agency in town (i.e., all off them) have the same bureaucratic reflex.
But Biden is a centrist.
He promised to bring the country together.
He would never lie just to get elected...
“Identity theft issue”. Sure thing.
The IRS needs to prove the timing was just a coincidence.
Sure, no problem
All they have to do is show that they've sent an IRS agent to the house of every single person where they've come across the same evidence of identity theft
I'm sure they'll have no trouble doing that. Right?
We all do know there's no chance in hell that this was in any way, shape, or form an innocent action by the Biden IRS
In that case, it's especially hard to understand why they'd go to his house. Many of us have encountered this problem with our tax-filing. It's quite routine, and the IRS solves it in a very routine way. So why would they go to his house?
I sincerely hope this is rhetorical. Because of course the answer is obvious...intimidation of someone who is perceived to be a political enemy.
I did understand the point you were making. He's the victim twice since they were clearly not making a house call for his benefit.
The IRS doesn’t call. They send letters. I guess they send thugs NOW. No wonder they need another 87,000 leg breakers.
When Taibbi and the other guy testified, I think they both were honestly surprised by the attack mentality they encountered ("so called journalist" and DWS whole line of questioning). Neither sees themselves as either conservatives or Republican but they were accused of it. Why?
Overreach by the Democratic politicians. The narrative had been decided upon regardless if it fit the situation or not. Now the two journalists are REALLY curious.
And apparently, it continues with the IRS visit to Taibbi's home. Biden may actually unite the left and the right but against him instead of for him.
So the IRS is making house calls now?
Is that we we need to hire so many more of them?
The IRS doesn't just show up. Lots of letters get exchanged.
Get the name, business card and a picture of the person's govt id. They have to show you id on request, and then it's public information with no expectation of privacy. Post it on the internet.
“So why would they go to his house?”
Why, oh, why? The ways of the regime are mysterious.
Recall another Althouse question from a few days ago:
“why does Applebaum want to kick him [Musk] around for building homes for the workers he's bringing into the area?”
So many questions! So many mysteries!
Achilles, you are ascribing to me statements that I have not made. You are insulting me without taking the trouble to understand my words. You are doubling down, continuing to misstate what I have said.
I am not going to maintain a forum for this kind of junk. You have political views that are causing you to see things that are not true, and it's wasting my time and corrupting the quality of this forum I work awfully hard to maintain. And you obviously don't care and won't do anything to improve.
You wrote: 'You want to call me "stupid" and a "troll." All true.' If you embrace being a troll, you are putting yourself in the set of people I have to exclude. I'm sure you can find other places to express yourself. Stay away from here. The end..
The question is one of intent. Is the government apparatus incompetent enough to create this kind of opportunity for Taibbi to present himself as a persecuted member of the press on the same day he's being gobsmacked by the ignorance of the D-team of the Democratic party in a Congressional hearing? Alternately, they could be doing it deliberately to "make a point" while clinging to a claim of plausible deniability. Cui bono? I have no idea.
We've reached a level of suspicion that makes this enemy action, not coincidence. Reason dictates to this reader that this is of a piece with the effectiveness of the Covid response or the Afghan withdrawal, and that we are governed by barely functional operatives following a set of incentives that are impossible to comprehend for the average citizen. The only cover is a constant avalanche of gaslighting. Time's almost up, and we don't know what comes next.
I was the victim of identity theft in regard to my return about 8 years ago and all I got was a lousy letter. when I tried to follow up I had to go to the nearest IRS office and stand in line for a couple of hours to get an obtuse employee. Matt should be thrilled to get this personal attention.
Our Professor said.. It's annoying, but not threatening to the taxpayer.
So, a person testifies to Congress, about corruption in the Executive Branch.
THAT DAY, armed* members of the Executive Branch show up at the person's house, and tell him:
We've Been WATCHING you, and You Need to report to us..NOW!
The person get there.. And the Officials tell him:
We've Gone through your tax returns, with a fine tooth comb.. and we WANT You to know that we have.
SO FAR, we aren't arresting YOU (at This time..), because "you're the victim". HAHA
BUT.. Keep in mind; WE ARE WATCHING YOU
That doesn't just sound annoying.. That sounds pretty Darned threatening to me.
armed* The IRS arsenal of 4,600 guns includes 3,282 pistols, 621 shotguns, 539 rifles, 15 fully automatic weapons and four revolvers. It’s unclear who agents plan to shoot at. A recent IRS job posting says applicants must “be willing to use deadly force.”
Here's a scenario: the IRS did a search on Tiabbi before the hearing.
No missing returns, but a pending identity matter.
They pay him a cordial visit.
Serious Question: Will Achilles be as permanently banned as Chuck was? Or Igna? Or more like Fen?
“So why would they go to his house?”
From the IRS website,
Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 03-Nov-2022:
“The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service.
However, there are circumstances in which the IRS will call or come to a home or business. These include when a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill, a delinquent (unfiled) tax return or has not made an employment tax deposit. An IRS employee may also view assets or tour a business as part of a collection investigation, an audit or an ongoing criminal investigation.
Even then, taxpayers will generally first receive several letters (called "notices") from the IRS in the mail.”
In many identify theft frauds involving the IRS, the taxpayer is a secondary victim. The main victim is the federal treasury, and the taxpayer often doesn’t have a direct interest in helping solve the crime. It doesn’t surprise me that the IRS sometimes has to send people out to find out what’s going on when the taxpayer is not responding to notices. Taibbi’s house is probably also his place of business, if as seems likely he has Schedule C income.
If it is a coincidence, it worked out perfectly for Jim Jordan.
This is the weaponized Federal government version of the mob making a veiled threat like the following to a witness of their crime - “It sure would be a shame if an accident would happen to you, your wife, and your children after you testify…”.
Ann - can Matt Taibbi file a RICO lawsuit against the Biden Administration and the Federal Government using a private attorney (can’t trust the DOJ since they are part of the RICO activities). With all of the news stories coming out in the past couple of years of government intimidation as well as ideological indoctrination being forced on the country or else, it sure sounds like organized crime activities being perpetrated by our own government.
"The fear of many Americans is that, flush with its new $80 billion in funding from Congress, the IRS will unleash its fearsome power against political opponents."
What else could be the purpose of this enormous expenditure on the proven politically corrupt* IRS at a time when border enforcement goes begging and the Deep State is armed to the teeth?
*Remember The Tea Party? Lois Lerner?
The first time I heard about the IRS refusing to accept perfectly legitimate tax returns was a few years back on this blog, when Althouse reported the IRS refused to accept her tax return. It’s a fair question why the IRS is using that tactic. I’m only speculating, but I think they are using the legal requirement to file a return to get information from taxpayers who might otherwise ignore them or argue that they have no legal obligation to cooperate. It’s very heavy handed in an identity theft situation, in that the IRS refuses to accept the actual taxpayer’s bona fide efforts to comply. But I’m guessing we won’t see Congress change that practice, because they want the money it brings in.
the m.o was made clear, d souza was punished corzine was not sbf may be but 'im not betting any money on that hillary was not punished for her foundation, mailfraud involved in the danchenko dossier, (there was a small fine) but trump is targeted at every level
"The IRS needs to ..."
The [fillin the blank] MUST...
Oft said, seldom followed.
Could it be that no one follows up? How many governmental abuses are roundly condemned. Hearings held. Editorials written.
But who did this and why? Never revealed.
SOMEONE in the IRS ordered this visit. Others knew. Find them. Find out why. Find out if they were directed from above. Name them. Shame them. Punish them if appropriate.
But, nope. sure there is someone (or some people) but it all washes out in the unaccountable bureaucracy.
Loud clucking noises to follow.
"I'm sure you can find other places to express yourself. Stay away from here. The end."
I only met my grandmother once, when I was 11, and she did not tell me that "When you're really, really mad, you should count to ten before you do anything". Even if she had, why would I take advice from some old lady? Off with their heads!
Aggie said...
I actually had to file a 1099 from - from - the IRS this year, how weird is that?
I'm pretty sure I got one last year. I have a suspicion that the IRS is now required to pay interest on refunds between the time of filing and issuing the check, and this is an attempt to claw back some of the money. At least that seems to be the only reason for a 1099-INT as opposed to 1099-G.
Looks like the banhammer has descended. Considering the sort of abuse of herself and opinions she garners, and that she allows, Achilles must have sent in a doozy.
As for substance, it seems clear to me that Taibbi was selected as an example for official intimidation, and it's likely not the last time.
Achilles, you are ascribing to me statements that I have not made. You are insulting me without taking the trouble to understand my words. You are doubling down, continuing to misstate what I have said.
You only just realized that Achilles does this in almost every post? Now do Drago and Michael K.
At least you didn't call him an asshole or twerp. But I think it might finally be sinking in the toilet your comments section has become.
Who knew the IRS makes house calls. I couldn't even get the IRS on the phone when I was trying to find out what happened to my refund. I got a message that said there were too many people calling the IRS and I should call back the next day. This happened multiple times. When I finally was able to get the IRS on the phone and I spoke to a supervisor, I was told that she would do nothing to find out what was causing the delay and that there was no one else I could speak to. It took the IRS 14 months to send me my refund. Maybe I will get a better response in the future after they hire 87K more agents. Oh, wait, the purpose of those agents is to audit more tax returns, not to provide better service.
Aggie said...
"I actually had to file a 1099 from - from - the IRS this year, how weird is that?"
So did I. It was for the interest I got for having to wait 14 months for the refund.
Anyone wanna take a bet on how long before government begins actively banning opposition groups, and, ultimately, the GOP?
It was a mere 6 months ago that the regime, Joe Biden, said: “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic.”
That warning should chill you to the bone.
The IRS visit delivered the message it was intended to deliver: Nice career you have there. It would be a shame if something bad happened to it.
I see the blog hostess is "not amused" by criticism of her belief that the IRS was just trying to help Taibbi. We all know, maybe just most of us, that the IRS is not our friend. I went through a phase early in my career where I was audited EVERY year for almost a decade. Finally, my accountant sent a letter accusing them of harassing his client. They quit for a while, then I had a landslide at my home in CA. I took a capital loss and I got audited again. I got a letter telling me I owed $60,000 in additional tax. After the accountant was through I got another letter saying my tax liability was 0. I had them framed side by side for years.
There was a message left that call the agency in four days. Kinda open-ended, huh. I'd feel threatened. Jordan sent a letter. Cue the obfuscation and lying!
Ann, if you really want to deter Achilles' behavior, you should send someone by his house.
(kidding! I'm kidding!)
Is Taibbi a billionaire (of course not)?
I thought only billionaires were the target of the vastly expanded IRS.
Plus, of course, wait staff and those criminal types that shuttle a few hundred between accounts.
I'm so scared of the IRS that I use Turbo Tax. My accounts are very straight forward, so I'm comfortable I'm not over paying, although one of my kids says his accountant can save me a LOT.
But the IRS scare me. I've received two letters from them over the years. Scared the stew out of me. (If they showed up on my doorstep I'd have passed out.) One said my math was in error and I owed under $100. Didn't even check their charge, just wrote a check. The other said my math was off and I overpaid $13.
If there were ever a time for a ring video of an unexpected visitor, this would be it!
You wrote: 'You want to call me "stupid" and a "troll." All true.' If you embrace being a troll, you are putting yourself in the set of people I have to exclude. I'm sure you can find other places to express yourself. Stay away from here. The end.
Right on. Some people are given chance after chance. But they are toxic.
Field Marshall Freder: "You only just realized that Achilles does this in almost every post? Now do Drago and Michael K."
Like all lefties and LLR-democraticals, Field Marshall Freder remains extraordinarily upset that his many moronic posts and ludicrous commentary are called out.
He would just prefer to start each day anew and not have anyone recall all the ridiculous commentary he has deposited on the blog.
Unfortunately for Freder and Chuck and Inga et al, this isnt a place where the maoist censors control what can or cant be said nor what can or cannot be revisited.
Freder will have to go elsewhere to find help memory-holing his previous blithering drivel.
Naturally, I write that with love.
Obviously.
Left Bank: "If it is a coincidence, it worked out perfectly for Jim Jordan."
So many "coincidences" and "mistakes" over the years, time and time again, and always going in the same pro-dem direction.
The fear of many Americans is that, flush with its new $80 billion in funding from Congress, the IRS will unleash its fearsome power against political opponents.
One of the things journalists could do, if they really want to add valuable context here (and also in articles about fear of vaccination, fear of the FBI, fear of election fraud, fear of police coverups, etc.) is note the historical basis for these claims, describe with specificity what regulations or controls have been put in place to prevent these problems from recurring, and describe how those regulations or controls are tested and enforced (e.g. private rights of action, inspector general, etc.)
Unfortunately, just writing it out, that sounds like a lot of work -- too time consuming for modern journalists who just want to put out a short, timely piece, and too boring to justify a longer-form piece. But the usual shortcut (get an expert or maybe a directly interested party to give a quick quote pooh-poohing the notion that anything bad could take place) is absolutely the worst way of responding.
Just for fun I asked Siri how many cases of identity theft there were in the U.S. last year.
Her (I assume she is a CIS female) answer: 5.7 million.
That must keep those IRS special agents really busy.
The fact that it was a house-call, plus the timing of the visit, shows every indication of unclean hands on the part of the IRS. The IRS told Taibbi that both his 2018 AND his 2021 returns have been rejected due to "concerns about identity theft." Meanwhile, he has proof that his 2018 return was indeed accepted without problem, and that his 2021 return is in an unexplained limbo.
Hmmmm...
The Fourth leg of a fascist state is splintering.
I trust Treasury Sec Yellin to get to the bottom of this. But a public and complete explanation is necessary. And any deviation from standard procedure should be punished by firing.
"Blogger Michael K said...
I see the blog hostess is "not amused" by criticism of her belief that the IRS was just trying to help Taibbi."
Is this really your interpretation of the exchange? Does everyone just pretend to be stupid? Maybe it's not an act.
I have been doing tax work since the Carter administration and the only times I've never even heard of the IRS coming to someone's home or office without a previous appointment was when it involved accusations of a criminal nature and warrants from a court. Even hostile lifestyle audits involve appointments with the taxpayer and his advisors if he wants them to attend.
The only possible legitimate thing I can think of is if they suspect his tax preparer of being involved in fraud, and even then, contact by mail to set up an appointment is far more likely.
as daniel greenfield has pointed out, the irs protects so called antifa, blm, and palestinian gruoups,
The IRS is not your friend. The IRS wants your money. All of it if possible. The IRS will never make an error in your favor. They always error in their favor. Never assume good intentions by the IRS. They don't have any. Think of them as the collection arm of the United States government.
"Is this really your interpretation of the exchange?"
Since only one side of the exchange is available for inspection, the other side becomes a matter for conjecture.
Unfortunately for Freder and Chuck and Inga et al, this isnt a place where the maoist censors control what can or cant be said “nor what can or cannot be revisited.”
Fortunately for Drag Queen that he blathers his anti government propaganda here in the US instead of his Mother Russia, where he would promptly be put under house arrest or jailed. The Russians and their ally Communist China, wouldn’t put up with the likes of a Drago.
“I see the blog hostess is "not amused" by criticism of her belief that the IRS was just trying to help Taibbi.”
How do you come to the conclusion that Althouse believes the IRS was “just trying to help Taibbi”? You too are attributing your own notion of what she meant, despite she not saying that.
“The IRS needs to prove the timing was just a coincidence.The fear of many Americans is that, flush with its new $80 billion in funding from Congress, the IRS will unleash its fearsome power against political opponents.”
I guess Michael K didn’t read to the end of Althouse’s post.
Achilles initial response to the post was available for inspection. He clearly missed the point (as usual). His follow-up was not visible, but it seems obvious that he stuck to his guns. He's a moron who occasionally had useful points to make, tedious at best. The inability or unwillingness of posters here to actually read what Althouse writes is tiresome. There are a few great posters here that keep me coming back for comments (more than any other blog I know of), but Christ on a bike, can't people read carefully without making dumb assumptions?
Left Bank of the Charles said...
It doesn’t surprise me that the IRS sometimes has to send people out to find out what’s going on when the taxpayer is not responding to notices.
It doesn’t surprise me that Leftie makes up a bullshit story about "ignored notices", that no one else has mentioned.
If it is a coincidence, it worked out perfectly for Jim Jordan.
If it's a coincidence, it's because the tooth fairy forgot to drop off the notices with Matt.
IOW, for the humor / brain impaired, it's not a "coincidence", it's the criminal Biden / Obama IRS engaging in criminal intimidation and bullying or a regime opponent.
By all means, lefties, defend this. Guarantee that the Trump / DeSantis Administration will be able to unleash the full force of the new Federal gov't against you, and that no voice will be raised to defend you, because you clearly deserve it.
Are you really just so stupid, Lefty, Inga, Chuck, that you're convinced there will never be another Republican gov't? That no future Democrat gov't will ever mark YOU as an "enemy"?
Because that's major league stupid
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