IRS Manual Ordered Agents to Obscure the Source of DEA Tips

[poofyhairguy]

For two years, an Internal Revenue Service manual instructed the agency's agents to not to reveal the source of tips obtained from the Drug Enforcement Agency's Special Operations Division in court documents or other circumstances, according to Reuters.

http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/08/irs_manual_ordered_agents_to_o.html

First the NSA, now the IRS.

The DEA is simply the worst and most harmful government organization in America. Time for them to go.

 

[zanejohnson]

been saying this for years..

 

[Fern]

Without looking into it, I'd guess there's a pretty good reason for that: It's dangerous.

I once worked with a woman who had been with the IRS criminal Division (where drug dealers are often 'customers'). After a number of death threats, close calls (guns drawn etc.) she quit and joined the 'normal' accounting firm I worked at.

I'm guessing safety is an issue here.

Fern

 

[Kadarin]

Without looking into it, I'd guess there's a pretty good reason for that: It's dangerous.

I once worked with a woman who had been with the IRS criminal Division (where drug dealers are often 'customers'). After a number of death threats, close calls (guns drawn etc.) she quit and joined the 'normal' accounting firm I worked at.

I'm guessing safety is an issue here.

Fern

I think I'm a bit more concerned about the Constitutionality of it.

 

[chucky2]

I'm sure the people who are in danger when stuff leaks are somewhat less concerned about the constitutionality of it...

 

[Fern]

I think I'm a bit more concerned about the Constitutionality of it.

I'm thinking along the lines of a confidential informant. If they can't be kept confidential there's too much to them. Drug criminals retaliate. And I thought we've long used them without any constitutional problems.

The articles to brief for me to make much of it. But this part sounds unethical and illegal:

The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the practice of recreating the trail of evidence and falsifying the investigation's catalyst, and two prominent Republicans have spoken out against the practice.

I'm getting the impression they are not only keeping the confidentiality of the tipster, but going so far as to create a false narrative such that the criminal wouldn't even be able to guess there was a tipster nor who they might be.

To me there's always a problem when law enforcement is falsifying things.

Fern

 

[LightPattern]

I'm thinking along the lines of a confidential informant. If they can't be kept confidential there's too much to them. Drug criminals retaliate. And I thought we've long used them without any constitutional problems.

The articles to brief for me to make much of it. But this part sounds unethical and illegal:



I'm getting the impression they are not only keeping the confidentiality of the tipster, but going so far as to create a false narrative such that the criminal wouldn't even be able to guess there was a tipster nor who they might be.

To me there's always a problem when law enforcement is falsifying things.

Fern

UPDATE: Add the IRS to the list of federal agencies obtaining information from NSA surveillance. Reuters reports that the IRS got intelligence tips from DEA's secret unit (SOD) and were also told to cover up the source of that information by coming up with their own independent leads to recreate the information obtained from SOD.
So that makes two levels of deception: SOD hiding the fact it got intelligence from the NSA and the IRS hiding the fact it got information from SOD.
Even worse, there's a suggestion that the Justice Department (DOJ) "closely guards the information provided by SOD with strict oversight," shedding doubt into the effectiveness of DOJ earlier announced efforts to investigate the program.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/08/dea-and-nsa-team-intelligence-laundering

I love the EFF. :wub: