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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| JANUARY
19, 1999 5:31 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: War Resisters League Chris Ney or Ruth Benn 212-228-0450 |
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| IRS Escalates Threats Against Tax Resister | ||||
| NEW
YORK - January 19 - In an unusual move, the Internal Revenue Service has gone to
court to force a long-time Brooklyn pacifist and war tax resister to turn
over his financial records.
Ed Hedemann, who for decades has refused to send his federal income taxes to the IRS because of his objection to military spending, has been summoned to appear February 1 in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn to show cause why he should not turn over all his financial records to the IRS. A refusal to turn over the records would carry the risk of being sent to prison for contempt of court. The IRS served Hedemann the Order to Show Cause December 11 against the backdrop of renewed U.S. air strikes against Iraq. Just days after unleashing the largest military action since the Gulf War—which cost nearly 2,000 Iraqi lives and more than $500 million of U.S. taxpayers money—Clinton asked Congress for an additional $100 billion for the Pentagon over the next six years, representing the largest military build-up since the Reagan administration's record spending. Hedemann began withholding federal taxes in 1972 as a protest against the Vietnam War. He has continued to withhold them since then because the federal government has continued to spend 50 to 65 percent of federal income taxes on present and past military programs. He files all his tax returns and pays state, local, and social security taxes. Instead of a check, however, he sends the IRS a note with his federal return explaining why he is sending the entire amount of any taxes due to organizations such as Voices in the Wilderness, which provides material aid to Iraqi civilians; the New York Times Neediest Cases fund; and a documentary film project on the U.S.-aided murder of Jesuit priests in El Salvador. "Since 1972, the IRS has routinely sent me threatening notices and levies, called me at home, harassed organizations I work for, and looked for nonexistent bank accounts and property," notes Hedemann, "but this is the first time they've ever taken me to court. I guess they're in desperate need of money to pay for all those cruise missiles." An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people in the U.S. refuse to pay some or all of their federal taxes because of opposition to war. In the past 30 years only a half dozen war tax resisters have been taken to court; the last such case was nine years ago. A support demonstration is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in front of the U.S. District Court at 225 Cadman Plaza E. in Brooklyn on Monday, February 1, just before the 4 p.m. hearing. "I don't know what'll happen in court that day, but I do know that I cannot turn over any papers to the IRS or do anything that'll contribute to the war-making effort of this or any other country," commented Hedemann. -30- |
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