Looking Into Bachmann's Record as Tax Attorney,seldom entered a courtroom

[cal04]

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/08/21/looking_into_bachmanns_record_as_tax_attorney.html

Though Rep. Michele Bachmann says her experience as an IRS tax lawyer on "hundreds of civil and criminal cases'' triggered her interest in tax simplification, a Minneapolis Star Tribune review finds "a more nuanced picture."

"It appears that Bachmann seldom entered a courtroom and fully litigated only two cases in four-plus years... Co-workers from the time describe her as pleasant and professional, but cannot recall one important case or criminal prosecution she handled."

"Bachmann did not respond to interview requests or written questions about her IRS career for this story. But she has repeatedly cast herself as a former tax litigator without mentioning that her job was to represent the IRS against taxpayers."




Michele Bachmann's low-key IRS role belied ambitions
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/128131968.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue
(snip)
In her tenure as an IRS attorney in St. Paul, however, it appears that Bachmann seldom entered a courtroom and fully litigated only two cases in four-plus years, according to judicial records. Co-workers from the time describe her as pleasant and professional, but cannot recall one important case or criminal prosecution she handled.
(snip)
Bachmann did not respond to interview requests or written questions about her IRS career for this story. But she has repeatedly cast herself as a former tax litigator without mentioning that her job was to represent the IRS against taxpayers.

[elleng]

1. This is no big deal and not unusual.

As a retired Federal attorney, my experience confirms that MOST bureaucrats in similar situations do NOT represent their agencies in court.

[atreides1]

2. Actually it is a big deal

Little "Miss Honest" is padding her resume...sort of the same way that MOST bureaucrats in similar situations do...too often!!!

[elleng]

6. You think that 'MOST' bureaucrats say that they have TRIED cases?

I'm sure that's not the case.
I also suspect that Bachmann has not been and will not be forthright in many ways; I hesitate to accuse her in this particular situation.

[DURHAM D]

5. Would she need to pass the bar in order to work at the IRS?

I tried to find out one time if she took/passed the bar but could not find it.

[elleng]

8. Probably but not necessarily.

I think I recall that she was admitted to practice (had passed a Bar exam) somewhere, but don't recall when or where.

[DURHAM D]

10. I had just assumed the LLM was cover for her failure to pass.

Oral Roberts University law program may not even have been accredited when she went there.

[elleng]

12. Licensed to practice in Minnesota.

'She won the respect of law school classmates at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla., and was licensed to practice in Minnesota within seven or eight months of graduation. She went on to get an advanced law degree at the same prestigious Virginia college that Thomas Jefferson attended.'

Means she took and passed the Minnesota Bar.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/21/2369059/bachmanns-lawyerly-background.html

[DURHAM D]

13. Thanks. I also found another source for the Minnesota Bar.

I know one of the reasons that ORU had problems with accreditation was the requirement that students must believe in the baby Jesus. Also, at some point they adopted the policy that students could not be over weight.

[spanone]

3. she was the enemy

[no_hypocrisy]

4. She was threatening middle class citizens for tax irregularities while letting

the rich go for the same thing.

[WCGreen]

7. I in no way want to appear as if I might be supporting Bachmann...

But very few cases make it to court. I am an independent tax accountant and work with my brothers CPA firm on a lot of tax issues and I can't remember, over the last 20 years, any situation with the IRS ending in the courts.

[elleng]

9. Thanks, WC. You've confirmed my earlier posts.

[lumpy]

11. She is doing a better job in Congress. She is working on the

light bulb problem.