The tax agency could now target protesters, broad new guidelines suggest
By Ken Klippenstein, KenKlippenstein.com
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is positioned to do much more than just collect your taxes as it turns its attention to individuals who threaten the U.S. government’s “ability to govern,” a vague new criteria for criminal investigations, according to its own operating manual.
Buried in the fine print is the revelation that the IRS is pivoting away from its post-9/11 focus on financing of foreign terror groups like al Qaeda and criminal money laundering to a much broader and ill-defined “national security” threat. The shift, revealed in the latest versions of the voluminous Internal Revenue Manual, applies to IRS participation in dozens of federal government “national security” investigative task forces, which were previously referred to as “narcotics and terrorism” task forces until late last year.
The shift involves the tax agency in everything from maintaining the safety of the stock market to protecting critical infrastructure.
Though the IRS employs over 83,000 civil servants, some 3,000 are assigned to its Criminal Investigation division, which investigates tax and banking improprieties, public corruption, identity threats, narcotics and terrorist financing. Criminal investigations is also deeply involved in federal government and intelligence community efforts to police non-financial crimes, according to the IRS’s operating manual.
Recent Posts
The Dead End Of Liberal American Zionism
May 20, 2024
Take Action Now The J Street “comprehensive diplomatic initiative” proposal is remarkable for what it does not do. By Abba A. Solomon and Norman…
ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants For Netanyahu And Hamas Leaders For War Crimes And Crimes Against Humanity
May 20, 2024
Take Action Now The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor applies for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense…
UMass Arrests: What Would Daniel Ellsberg Do?
May 20, 2024
Take Action Now Outside a federal court in Boston, Ellsberg was asked if he was worried about going to jail. His response: “Wouldn’t you go to…
Carrying On Kent State’s Legacy Of Antiwar Organizing, Students Press For Divestment
May 19, 2024
Take Action Now Students at Kent State won disclosure of the university’s investment portfolio, but the fight to divest from the war industry is…