Protection of Taxpayer Info Cited In Avoiding Answers on IRS Scandal

Congressional investigation tough to move forward

It isn't just an IRS official pleading the Fifth Amendment that's slowing efforts to uncover the facts behind the Internal Revenue Service scandal. It's Section 6103.

The tax code's privacy protections — designed to prevent disclosure of taxpayers' information—were mentioned 26 times in the first round of congressional hearings on the IRS, repeatedly stopping lawmakers' inquiries. The constitutional protection against self-incrimination was invoked once.