Earlier this year, it was reported that the Malignant Loser ordered the IRS to audit the returns of former FBI officials James Comey and Andrew McCabe in retaliation for their investigation into his campaign's dealings with Russia. Now, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Epner writes in the Daily Beast that order constitutes evidence that the Malignant Loser violated Federal law in using the IRS to persecute political enemies:
"A president who unlawfully seeks to have an individual audited is subject to up to five years in prison. The crime does not require that the IRS actually carry out the audit. The crime is completed with the mere request.
If Trump made this demand while he was president, that is an unambiguous felony. Section 7217 of Title 26 of the United States Code makes it a crime for the 'President' to 'request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer'. Based on my training and experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted tax offenses, I expect that each IRS employee along the chain of command kept detailed notes and records of who ordered them to conduct the audit, and on the facts that were cited to support that audit demand. I would not be surprised if each of those IRS employees cooperated with the DOJ, with all fingers pointing in Trump’s direction." (our emphasis)
It was former chief of staff John Kelly who revealed that the Malignant Loser ordered audits of Comey and McCabe and is reported to be willing to testify to that, presumably along with those IRS officials involved in the process. The IRS' Inspector General is also investigating the matter independently.
The Malignant Loser, who once claimed that the Constitution allowed him to do anything he wanted, is finding out the hard way that wasn't the case. His lawlessness and out of control need for vengeance may be coming back to bite him hard. Lock him up!
