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submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

The man who stole and leaked former President Donald Trump and thousands of other’s tax records has been sentenced to five years in prison.

In October, Charles Littlejohn, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized disclosures of income tax returns. According to his plea agreement, he stole Trump’s tax returns along with the tax data of “thousands of the nation’s wealthiest people,” while working for a consulting firm with contracts with the Internal Revenue Service.

Littlejohn leaked the information to two news outlets and deleted the documents from his IRS-assigned laptop before returning it and covered the rest of his digital tracks by deleting places where he initially stored the information.

Judge Ana Reyes highlighted the gravity of the crime, saying multiple times that it amounted to an attack against the US and its legal foundation.

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[-] PrettyLights@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

You're not allowed to say that here.

Breaking federal law is only bad if you're on the right.

Its insane how hypocritical many LW posters are while claiming they want to save our democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. Laws only apply to people you disagree with.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 36 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

He got a longer sentence than many of the January 6th rioters. The reality is he committed a crime against billionaires and the Jan 6th dumbasses only committed crimes against public officials despite the latter criminals being more violent.

But I guess crimes only count when they affect the ultra wealthy plutocrats.

[-] PrettyLights@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

He got a longer sentence than many of the January 6th rioters.

That's not the topic of any of my comments at all.

Many posters are ignoring basic facts of law and how courts work, just because they feel wronged.

Do I think the difference in length of sentence is fair for this leak vs jan 6 rioters? No it's not fair, but that's an opinion unrelated to the speediness of this trial entirely.

[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Many posters are ignoring basic facts of law and how courts work, just because they feel wronged.

So what you're saying is that the commenters here are humans with biases and feelings about perceived injustice?! This is a travesty. People should really strive to be as robotic as possible! If a serial killer gets off on a technicality, welp guys that's just how shit works sometimes and you aren't allowed to express feelings about that.

[-] PrettyLights@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Sure, but those same commenters also ridicule the other side for being uneducated and not understanding the law or operating based on feelings rather than facts.

Pot, meet kettle.

[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Right yeah the problem we have is then expressing feelings about Hillary Clinton. Not that they are objectively wrong about most of what they think about her and other dems. /s

If they had their facts straight they'd be well within their rights to want her and others locked up

[-] PrettyLights@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I pointed out something objectively wrong and you had a problem with it.

Why are you talking about Hilary?

[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

...you brought up right wingers. You high bro?

[-] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.de 20 points 1 year ago

You're not allowed to say that here.

And yet they did. Shocking. How does that fit in your narrative?

[-] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 15 points 1 year ago

Of all the laws to pick and choose on, I'll happily pardon this one.

Trump literally said he'd do it and then didn't.

Every other president in recent history has done it.

It's not like someone forced him to eat his hat. He was forced to follow a convention that he'd already told people he intended to follow.

[-] WaxedWookie@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Trump (like the bulk of the right) believe and act as though laws and norms are used solely to protect yourself and punish those they don't like. Much like the paradox of tolerance, allowing these people to hide behind rules and norms they won't respect themselves isn't healthy for democracy, freedom, or the rule of law - the best way to protect those things is to keep the likes of Trump out of power. You've already seen what he'll do with democracy given half a chance.

[-] PrettyLights@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Keep him out how? By any means necessary, even illegal and unamerican ways?

Is this the "paradox of democracy" now?

The only way to save law and order is to not follow law and order? Do you realize how Fascist that sounds?

[-] WaxedWookie@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

No - I mean actually have him face consequences.

Biden has treated him with kid gloves for multiple reasons - mostly because he doesn't want to be seen as uncivil or disturbing the status quo. There's massive scope to do more without getting into illegal territory.

How fascist does it sound, exactly - please enlighten us.

Of course, if we took Trump's recent insistence that nothing the President does can be seen as illegal, Biden could just send SEAL Team 6 to kill him - but this is the attitude we're defending the democracy against.

What does "unamerican" mean to you?

[-] tegs_terry@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago

Depends which laws, doesn't it? There are different ones you see (give him a break, guys he's learning)

this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2024
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