IRS Officials Aren’t Above the Law
ABUSE OF THE WEEK
ABUSE OF THE WEEK
ABUSE OF THE WEEK ABUSE OF THE WEEK
“If the IRS is going to wield enormous power over American taxpayers, then it has the responsibility to hold its own employees to the highest standards of conduct. Taxpayers should never have to question whether the officials enforcing our tax laws are following those same laws themselves. They deserve an IRS that answers to them instead of one that plays by different rules.”
Dealing with the IRS has become a routine headache for taxpayers. Tax compliance has become increasingly complicated with serious financial consequences for getting it wrong. So, it should go without saying that the officials entrusted with enforcing the tax code should be held to the highest standards of conduct. For many IRS employees, that expectation is apparently too demanding.
A federal appeals court recently upheld the firing of former IRS Supervisory Revenue Officer Denise Harris-Campbell. An investigation exposed years of gross misconduct, including improperly claiming family members as dependents on her tax returns to reduce her tax liability. An audit revealed that she owed back taxes, interest, and penalties, and the agency rightfully moved to fire her.
Despite Harris-Campbell acknowledging that she knew her actions were “technically illegal,” she still fought to get her job back. Fortunately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld her removal. However, the case confirms the ongoing double standard that agency holds: an IRS Supervisory Revenue Officer, tasked with ensuring that millions of Americans accurately report their taxes and pay what they owe, was evading taxes herself.
The Alliance for IRS Accountability demands that the IRS do better at holding its employees to higher standards and strengthen oversight to prevent further abuses of authority that erode taxpayer trust. If the IRS can scrutinize Americans’ finances, pursue aggressive enforcement actions, and impose significant penalties, then Americans should, at minimum, expect ethical conduct from the officials wielding that power.
While Harris-Campbell's removal was ultimately upheld, taxpayers should not have to constantly wonder whether the people enforcing the tax code are following it themselves.
AIA will continue to expose these abuses and demand an IRS that answers to the taxpayers it’s meant to serve.
Read the full report here.
If you, or someone you know, have experienced a specific IRS abuse and wish to flag the instance for potential inclusion in our Abuse of the Week series, call our dedicated Abuse Hotline, located in the Resources section of our homepage, or contact us with the details at info@irsaccountability.org.