Charles Littlejohn was sentenced to 5 years in jail on Monday for leaking former President Donald Trump’s tax data to the press.
Littlejohn, a 38-year-old former contractor for the Inner Income Service, pleaded responsible in October to 1 depend of unauthorized disclosures of revenue tax returns. He leaked Trump’s tax data, in addition to the tax data of hundreds of the nation’s wealthiest folks, to 2 information retailers between 2018 and 2020. He deleted the paperwork from his work laptop computer earlier than returning it to the IRS.
US District Decide Ana Reyes mentioned the leak was “an assault on our constitutional democracy”, based on CNN, and he or she in contrast it to the January 6 rebel.
In October, Reyes mentioned that she was deeply troubled by Littlejohn’s actions.
“When now we have folks, for no matter purpose, take the legislation into their very own palms, society doesn’t perform,” she mentioned. “Make no mistake, this was not acceptable. If anybody tells you the ends justify the means, they’re flawed.”
The 2 information retailers have been by no means named, however in 2020, The New York Occasions revealed Trump’s tax returns, and in 2019, ProPublica reported on the returns.
“By utilizing his function as a authorities contractor to realize entry to personal tax data, steal that data, and disclose it publicly, Charles Littlejohn broke federal legislation and betrayed the general public’s belief,” mentioned Lawyer Common Merrick B Garland in a information launch. “In each case, the Division of Justice is dedicated to following the details wherever they lead and holding accountable those that violate our legal guidelines.”
