Is the IRS getting back at an in-house critic?

[Valin]

Washington Post:

Steven Mufson

July 19 2016

 

Three hundred and twenty days ago, the Internal Revenue Service launched an investigation of one of its own lawyers over things he allegedly told media outlets, including The Washington Post, about a multibillion-dollar corporate tax credit scheme involving a source of energy informally known as black liquor.

 

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which examines criminal allegations, questioned William Henck on Sept. 11, 2015, wrote a report and gave it to the IRS chief counsel to decide whether any wrongdoing took place.

 

Then nothing.

 

Henck is still waiting to find out what the inspector general recommended — and what, if anything, the IRS is going to do about it. He was told by the inspector general’s office that its report, completed at least six months ago, can’t be shared with him. The matter now rests in the hands of the IRS chief counsel. The IRS has declined to comment on the matter, and the Treasury, which oversees the IRS, said it is up to the agency and would not comment.

 

The circular series of no comments appears to leave Henck in a Kafkaesque limbo — not knowing the status of the investigation, which he says weighs heavily on him. The source of the allegations remains secret, the report remains secret, and current disciplinary proceedings, if any are underway, remain secret.

 

(Snip)

 

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H/T Power Line