Trump Tax Return Leaker Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison
Facts
- Ex-IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn has been sentenced to five years in prison for leaking former Pres. Donald Trump's tax records to news outlets.1
- The 38-year-old, who had pleaded guilty to unauthorized disclosure of tax returns last October, would also spend three years under supervised release and pay a $5K fine.2
- In Monday's ruling, federal District Judge Ana Reyes stated that Littlejohn's unauthorized disclosure of tax returns to the press 'was an attack on our constitutional democracy.'3
- Littlejohn maintained in court that he leaked the information out of 'a sincere misguided belief,' reflecting and conceding that his actions 'undermine the fragile faith' in the US government.4
- However, prosecutors had claimed that Littlejohn had 'weaponized' his position and access to tax information to 'further his own agenda and politics.'5
- Following his leak, The New York Times reported that Trump paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2020 and 2021 and none in 10 of the previous 15 years.6
Sources: 1Huffington Post, 2CBS, 3CNN, 4Independent, 5NBC and 6Associated Press.
Narratives
- Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by Guardian. Charles Edward Littlejohn did an obvious public service by leaking Donald Trump's tax records. With these out in the public domain, Americans were made aware of the true character of the man sitting in the world's most powerful position. It showed people how bogus his claims were and pricked the aura of his business success.
- Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by FOX News. The timing of the first publication of Trump's tax records — right ahead of the presidential debate in 2020 — was enough to understand that this was a hit job. The former president has openly admitted that he availed of legitimate government tax benefits to reduce his dues like any US citizen. Littlejohn must be held accountable for his weaponization of authority.