Saturday, December 29, 2012

Jim Jefferies Death on 12/18/12

The obituary from the Greensboro News-Record, here, is:


GREENSBORO — James Henry Jeffries III, 78, died on December 18, 2012 at his home in Greensboro, North Carolina. 
Mr. Jeffries was a United States Marine Corps Korean War veteran and graduate of the University of Kentucky and the University of Kentucky, School of Law. Mr. Jeffries was a former prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and a retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Following retirement from the Justice Department, Mr. Jeffries engaged in the private practice of law in Greensboro. 
Mr. Jeffries was preceded in death by his beloved wife Ruth Anne Jeffries and is survived by his brother Conrad A. Conrad of Scottsdale, Arizona, his daughter Anne Jeffries Reardon, his sons, James Henry Jeffries IV and John Harlan Jeffries, and his daughters-in-law Sonya Renee Lowe and Valerie Hall Jeffries. He was also the beloved "Paw Paw" of nine grandchildren: Lauren Anne Jeffries, Erin Elizabeth Jeffries, James Henry Jeffries V, Austin Matthew Jeffries, Tara Jean Jeffries, Daniel Boyd Jeffries, Kathryn Chelsea Reardon, John Augustus Reardon, and Rebecca Anne Reardon, all of Greensboro, North Carolina. He was the Pater Familias.
Services will be private. 
His family requests that any memorials in lieu of flowers be made in his name to the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment which can be contacted at wwrdonations@usmc.mil.
Online condolences may be offered at www.forbisanddick.com/

Monday, December 10, 2012

Boente to Serve as Interim U.S. Attorney for New Orleans (12/10/12)


Main Justice has an article on Dana Boete's appointment to head the troubled New Orleans USAO.  Elizabeth Murphy, Longtime DOJ Lawyer Dana Boente Tapped as Interim New Orleans U.S. Attorney (Main Justice 12/6/12), here.  Excerpts are:
Justice Department veteran Dana Boente will serve as the interim New Orleans U.S. Attorney following Jim Letten’s resignation today, announced Attorney General Eric Holder. 
Boente has been the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia since 2007. He was the acting U.S. Attorney in the Alexandria, Va., based district from 2008 to 2009. Before moving to the Virginia position, Boente served in the Justice Department’s Tax Division, where he began his DOJ career in 1984. He served as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the division from 2005 to 2007. From 2000 to 20005 he was a lawyer in the Eastern District of Virginia. For 16 years at the beginning of his career he served as a trial attorney in the Tax Division. 
“Dana Boente is a veteran federal prosecutor with a record over the past 28 years of distinguished service to the Department of Justice,” Holder said in a statement. “I am confident that he will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office through this time of transition and ensure the office’s continued commitment to justice for the people of the Eastern District of Louisiana.” 
Letten announced his resignation this morning in the wake of an online commenting scandal that forced one of his prosecutors to resign and another to be demoted. The prosecutors were making anonymous and derogatory online comments on a news website about targets of federal investigations

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Mort Caplin's Dedication to Lapsley Hamblen (12/4/12)


Mort Caplin gave this memoriam to Lapsley Hamblen on November 15 in the Center Courtroom of the U.S. Tax Court..  It was republished in Tax Notes and Tax Notes Today, 137 Tax Notes 1025 (Nov. 26, 2012) and 2012 TNT 227-8, respectively.   I further republish it here with the permission of Mort Caplin and Tax Analysts.

Copyright 2012 Mortimer M. Caplin.

All rights reserved.

* * * * *

Chief Judge Thornton, the judges of the U.S. Tax Court, Claudia Hamblen, family, and friends:

What a privilege it is to join in honoring our dear friend, Lapsley Walker Hamblen Jr. And what a joy to recall that, whenever we met, a new story or joke and a good laugh were sure to greet us.

Lapsley and I first met in 1950 at UVA law school -- he was entering his first year of law and I was a brand new law professor. We both had UVA college degrees, and I'd also received one from UVA Law. I was "the New Boy on the Block" -- fresh from Wall Street law practice to teach tax and corporate law, and courses in agency, partnership, and business law in general.

Lap enrolled in just about every course I had to offer, right up to his graduation in 1953 . He was a top student -- even earning one of my first "4.0's." His election to Order of the Coif confirmed all!

The 1950s -- the post WW II era--brought us an extraordinary group of students. Lap's 1953 class had many stars besides himself; John W. Warner, later U.S. senator from Va.; E. Barrett Prettyman Jr., holder of many major posts in the JFK administration; and then there was my future law partner, Douglas D. Drysdale, a leading member of Lapsley's class.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

John DiCicco Retirement Event on 12/3/12

I received the following email and was authorized to post it to the blog.  Those wishing to attend the event should follow the instructions.  Also, note the opportunity to add to the memory book.  You can, of course, also post your memories of John on this web site.  I will make sure that they get to him.  If you have difficulty posting comments, please refer to the instructions in the right hand column of this page.


From: Proctor, Maxine O. (TAX) [mailto:Maxine.O.Proctor@usdoj.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 9:12 AM
Subject: Tax Division Alumni - Invitation to John DiCicco's Retirement Party on December 3, 2012

After more than 35 years of distinguished service to the Tax Division, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General John DiCicco will retire on January 3, 2013. Please join us to honor John's career and to celebrate the holiday season on Monday, December 3, 2012.

The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. in the Great Hall of the RFK Main Justice Building.

It would be wonderful to see you at this event.

Please RSVP no later than November 16 to Maxine Proctor at (202) 514-2901, or at Maxine.O.Proctor@usdoj.gov. Tickets for this event are $25.00 per person. Please plan to purchase your ticket at the door, by cash or check made out to Tax Division Fund.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY BOOK: Whether you are able to attend or not, we are collecting any stories, memories, well-wishes, or the like, that you want to convey to John on his retirement, for inclusion in a memory book. If you have a message that you would like to add to the book, you can send those to Jennifer.D.Auchterlonie@usdoj.gov.

We would appreciate receiving these messages by November 16.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Elliott Kajan Death on 10/17/12 (10/18/12)

Funeral Details for Elliott Kajan, Tuesday, October 23, Noon,  Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, Los Angeles, CA


Location:         Mt. Sinai Memorial Park, Mt-Sinai - Hollywood Hills, 5950 Forest Lawn Drive Los Angeles, CA    (323) 469-6000           Off Forest Lawn Drive

The following is the web site with the notice of the service and links to memories and photos (not populated when I looked, but should be some later).

                 http://www.mountsinaiparks.org/obituary/95611/Elliott-Kajan/#services

Date:               Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Time:               Noon


Mount Sinai Hollywood Hills
5950 Forest Lawn Drive
Los Angeles, California 90068

TaNaCh Chapel

Elliott's bio on his firm website is here.

From Tax Notes Today, In Memoriam (10/22/12, published on line on 10/20/12):

Elliott H. Kajan, 74, died on October 17 in Beverly Hills, Calif. 
Kajan founded his firm, Kajan Mather and Barish, in 1990. He specialized in civil and criminal tax controversies at the administrative and court levels, including federal, state, and local matters. He previously worked in the IRS as a revenue agent and in the Justice Department Tax Division as an attorney. Kajan received a BS from Cleveland State University and a JD from Ohio State University.

For those having difficulty leaving comments, please see the page to the right on Leaving Comments for instructions.

Monday, October 1, 2012

David Hubbert Name DAAG for Civil Matters (10/1/12)

I attach here the Memo from AAG Keneally announcing David Hubbert's appointment as Tax Division Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Matters.  The body of the memo is:

I am pleased to announce the Attorney General has appointed David A. Hubbert to be Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Matters.
Dave graduated with honors from the University of Arizona in 1982 with a degree in accounting. He received a cum laude degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1985, where he was the Keedy Cup (Oral Advocacy) Champion. Dave joined the Division in 1985 through the Honors Program, and was an attorney in both the Civil Trial Section, Western Region and the Appellate Section. In 1991, he was selected as a Reviewer in the Western Region, where he handled that Section's most important civil cases in a superb manner, all while reviewing and assisting trial attorneys. He became an Assistant Section Chief of the Western Region in 1996, and in 1999, became Chief of the Civil Trial Section Eastern Region. During his time in the Division, Dave has handled or supported a wide range ofthe Division's civil litigation, served on the Associate Attorney General's Civil Discovery Task Force as Chair of the Technology Working Group, worked on information technology projects and conunittees, and helped the Division to address management and performance issues. Dave has also played a pivotal role in creating, and continually improving, our case management system, which is one of the best systems in the Department. Civil Trial-Eastern has special responsibility for FOIA and Privacy Act(§ 6103) matters, and Dave's expertise in both has been invaluable to the Division. In recognition of his exemplary service, Dave has received several awards, including the Assistant Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in 1998 and the Presidential Rank A ward for Meritorious Service in 2009. Please join me in congratulating Dave and in thanking him for taking on the additional responsibilities of the position.
Congratulations, David!

Main Justice Article on End of DOJ Tax Attorney Detail to USAOs (10/1012)

Main Justice has this article:  Tax Division Back to Full Force as Detail Program Ends (Main Justice 9/28/12), here.  The article discusses the end of the temporary detail of DOJ Tax lawyers to local AUSA offices.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Jennifer Whang is appointed Administrative Law Judge for FERC (9/26/12)

Chairman Appoints Jennifer Whang as New Administrative Law Judge (FERC News Release 9/24/12), here.  Excerpt from the News Release:
Judge Whang also served in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division, where she was a trial attorney in the Civil Trial Section. 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Tax Notes Article on Tax Division Criminal Enforcement (9/19/12)


I have just published a blog entry on the Tax Division.  See The Role of the DOJ Tax Division in Criminal Tax Enforcement (Federal Tax Crimes Blog 9/18/12), here.  The blog consists of excerpts and links to a Tax Notes article, Shamik Trivedi, For DOJ Tax Division, Consistency and Deterrence Are Key, 136 Tax Notes 1231 (Sept. 10, 2012), here, which is published with the permission of Tax Analystss.  The article principally covers criminal tax enforcement matters.  I thought readers of this blog might also be interested in the article.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Lapsley Hamblen Death (9/12/12)


Lapsley W. Hamblen, Jr., former DAAG Tax and Tax Court Judge, died on September 10,2012.  The Tax Court press release is here.  Here is a cut and paste of that  press release:
In Memory of Judge Lapsley W. Hamblen, Jr. 
September 11, 2012 
Retired Judge Lapsley W. Hamblen, Jr., who served on the United States Tax Court from September 14, 1982, until his retirement on June 30, 2000, died on September 10, 2012.
Judge Hamblen was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on December 25, 1926. He attended preparatory school at the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He graduated from the University of Virginia, where he received a B.A. in Economics, and he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he received an LL.B., was Class President, and was a member of the Raven Society and the Order of the Coif. 
Judge Hamblen served as attorney-adviser to Judge Craig Atkins of the Tax Court and as a trial attorney with the Office of the Regional Counsel, Internal Revenue Service, Atlanta, Georgia. 
During his prestigious career, Judge Hamblen was a partner in the law firm of Caskie, Frost, Hobbs & Hamblen, in Lynchburg, Virginia, for more than 25 years. He was a Fellow in the American College of Tax Counsel and the American College of Probate Counsel. He was a member of the American Bar Association and its Section of Taxation. He also was a member of the Federal Bar Association and was admitted to practice law in Virginia, Ohio, and West Virginia. He formerly was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Southern Federal Tax Institute, Inc., and was Codirector of the Annual Virginia Conference on Federal Taxation at the University of Virginia. Judge Hamblen contributed to several tax periodicals and lectured at various tax conferences. 
Judge Hamblen served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division, Department of Justice, at the time of his appointment to the Tax Court. 
Judge Hamblen was appointed by President Reagan as a Judge of the United States Tax Court on September 14, 1982, for a 15-year term ending September 13, 1997. He served as Chief Judge from June 1, 1992, to May 31, 1996. Judge Hamblen retired on June 1, 1996, and was recalled as Senior Judge to perform judicial duties until June 30, 2000. Judge Hamblen authored 349 opinions, including three opinions in Sundstrand Corp. and Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, and opinions in E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Commissioner, Procter and Gamble Co. v. Commissioner, Estate of Halas v. Commissioner, and Piggly Wiggly Southern, Inc. v. Commissioner
Judge Hamblen is survived by his wife, the former Claudia Terrell. He was predeceased on February 2, 2011, by his son Lapsley W. Hamblen III, and is survived by his sons Allen Hamblen of Lynchburg, Virginia, and William Hamblen of Richmond, Virginia, and the families of his three sons. 
A memorial will be held by the Tax Court on a date to be determined.
The following is the death notice from the Washington Post, here, published 9/16/12.


LAPSLEY W. HAMBLEN Jr.
Death Notice 
HAMBLEN Judge LAPSLEY WALKER HAMBLEN, JR. The Honorable Lapsley Walker Hamblen, Jr., 85, retired judge of the United States Tax Court, died September 10, 2012 at his home in Falls Church, Virginia from cardiac disease. He was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on December 25, 1926. His parents were Lapsley Walker Hamblen, Sr. and Libbey Shipley Hamblen. He was a graduate of the McCallie School in Chattanooga and the University of Virginia, receiving a B.A. in Economics in 1949 and an LLB from its Law School in 1953. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. During his college years he was a member of the football and boxing teams, Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which he served as President in 1948, Eli Banana and IMP Society. He served as President of his Law Class and was elected to the Order of the Coif, Omicron Delta Kappa and the Raven Society. He was admitted to the Bar of Virginia, Ohio and West Virginia and was a partner in the Lynchburg, Virginia Law Firm of Caskie, Frost, Hobbs and Hamblen and predecessor firms which he joined in 1957. He was listed in the first edition of the Best Lawyers in America (Tax) and also Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Law. Prior to 1957, he served as a lawyer in the Regional Counsel Office of the Internal Revenue Service in Atlanta, Georgia, as a Law Clerk to Judge Craig Atkins, of the United States Tax Court, and law firms in Charleston, WV and Dayton, Ohio. In 1982, he was appointed a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice, in Washington, DC, and later that year he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court in Washington, DC. In 1992, he was elected by his colleagues on the Court to be Chief Judge until he attained Senior Status in 1996. Judge Hamblen retired from the Court in 1999. During his practice of Law, Judge Hamblen was a member of the Virginia State Bar and the American Bar Association and its Tax Section. He was a former Chairman of the Virginia State Bar Committee on Taxation and the Committee on Co-operation with the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. He was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Judge Hamblen was a former Co-Director of the Annual Virginia Conference on Taxation at the University of Virginia and was an Emeritus Trustee of the Southern Federal Tax Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to his return to government service, Judge Hamblen was Vice President and assistant Treasurer, and a member of the Board of Directors of Carter Glass and Sons Publishers, Inc., Lynchburg, Virginia and served one year as President of the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding member of Jefferson National Bank in Lynchburg, VA, which was merged into Virginia National Bank, which now is part of Bank of America. Judge Hamblen was a member of the Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington, DC. He was a member of the National Presbyterian Church and served as a Stephen minister. Judge Hamblen is survived by his wife of 41 years, Claudia Terrell Hamblen of Falls Church, Virginia; and two sons from a previous marriage, James Allen Murdock Hamblen of Lynchburg, Virginia and William Shipley Hamblen of Richmond, Virginia. He was predeceased by his son, Lapsley Walker Hamblen, III in 2011. He is survived by three granddaughters, two grandsons and four great-granddaughters. Interment will take place on September 20, 2012 at 11 a.m. at Spring Hill Cemetery, Lynchburg, VA. A memorial service will be held on October 11, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the National Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the McCallie School, memo line: The Hamblen Fund, 500 Dodds Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404 or to The University of Virginia Law School Foundation, 580 Massie Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the McCallie School, memo line: The Hamblen Fund, 500 Dodds Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404 or to The University of Virginia Law School Foundation, 580 Massie Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Ihlo and Daly Named DOJ Tax Senior Litigation Counsel (9/3/12)


U.S. Department of Justice
Tax Division
Assistant Attorney General Washington, D. C. 20530

August 15, 2012

MEMORANDUM

To:   Tax Division
From: Kathryn Keneally
         Assistant Attorney General
Subject: Selection of Senior Litigation Counsel

I am pleased to announce that I have selected Jennifer E. Ihlo and Mark F. Daly as Senior Litigation Counsel. Senior Litigation Counsel handle the Tax Division's most challenging and important cases. Please join me in congratulating Jen and Mark, and in thanking them for taking on the additional responsibilities of the position.

Jennifer Ihlo- CATEPS

Jen is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University and the South Texas College of Law. She joined the Tax Division as a trial attorney in 1989. Prior to joining the Division, Jen served as an Assistant District Attorney in Beaumont, Texas, and as Assistant Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary. Since joining the Tax Division, Jen has served as lead counsel in numerous investigations and jury trials, many involving tax defier schemes. Among those cases was United States v. Flowers, et al. (D. Ore.), a multi-defendant case involving the trial of promoters of a fraudulent warehouse banking scheme, for which Jen and her co-counsel received the Department of Justice's John Marshall award. Over the years, Jen has developed tremendous expertise concerning tax defier and domestic terrorism issues and is highly regarded within the Division, Department, and the broader law enforcement community for her leading roles as both a litigator and an educator on those matters. In 1996, her expertise and the importance of those law enforcement issues led to her appointment as Special Counsel for Tax Protest Matters (Criminal) and, in 2008, as National Director of the Tax Defier Initiative.

Mark Daly - Criminal 

Mark is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Duke University School of Law. He joined the Department of Justice in 2002 and the Tax Division in 2006. Prior to joining the Division, he handled complex civil litigation in the Department's Civil Rights Division and in private practice with the well-regarded law firms Drinker, Biddle & Reath, LLP and Goodwin Proctor LLP. Since joining Tax Division, Mark has successfully handled the investigation and prosecution of numerous complex criminal tax cases. During the past 3 years, he has also taken a leading role in three separate grand jury investigations of major financial institutions involved in schemes to defraud the United States by aiding and assisting U.S. taxpayers to evade their taxes through undeclared offshore bank accounts. In that role, he has been actively engaged in developing overall strategy and managing teams of Tax Division prosecutors and IRS Special Agents, while assisting other prosecutors and investigating agents throughout the country. In 20 I 0, Mark conducted the grand jury investigation and served as lead trial counsel for the first trial arising from the offshore initiative, United States v. Cohen, et al. (S.D. Fla.), which involved a decades-long, $30 million scheme by father and son international hotel developers who evaded taxes through the use of nominees, sham corporations, and offshore bank accounts. After a monthlong trial, both defendants were convicted and later sentenced to ten years imprisonment and millions of dollars in fines and restitution.

I would also like to thank the other applicants. All of the applications reflected strong litigating experience, a dedication to public service, and a superior work ethic. The Tax Division is fortunate to have so many formidable litigators in its ranks.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

George Rita Death 7/18/12


George Rita died on 7/18/12.  The obituary is here.

Per the obituary:



After passing the DC Bar Exam in 1950, he practiced criminal, civil and tax law as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and in private practice until he retired in 1989.

* * * *


In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to:
The Trust for Public Land
101 Montgomery Street Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94104
They may also call: 800-714-5263
Or make a gift on-line at www.tpl.org
Please ask them to make their gift to "The Trust for Public Land" and note that it is in honor of George T. Rita.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

David B. Blair and David J. Fischer Join Crowell & Moring (8/18/12)


David B. Blair and David J. Fischer have joined Crowell & Moring.  See Crowell & Moring Press Release:  Crowell & Moring Expands Tax Group With Addition Of Two Tax Controversy And Litigation Partners (7/17/12), here.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Walter Thurmond death


Walter Thurmond died Thursday, May 3, 2012.  I have limited information now, but am informed that

  • Visitation will be Monday, May 7, at 6-8pm at Forest Park Westheimer located at 12800 Westheimer right past Dairy Ashford.
  • The Memorial service will be Tuesday, May 8, at 11am at the chapel of Houston First Baptist Church located on the south side of the interchange between  I-10 and the Loop 610 West.  Street address is 7401 Katy Freeway.
The Houston Chronicle obituary is here.  I cut and paste the obituary here:
Walter Belden Thurmond Long-time Houston resident Walter Belden Thurmond, a great dad, beloved husband, accomplished tax attorney and lover of life, died May 3 of a sudden heart attack. He was 57.
Walter was born in Greenville, South Carolina, but he spent much of his youth in Weslaco, Texas, and on the beaches of South Padre Island. He was affectionately known as "Wat" to family and many friends.

At Baylor University, he started his list of academic credentials with a B.B.A. in accounting. He also met Kathryn Narum, who became his wife and co-Baylor Bear fan for the next 35 years. Without fail they attended games every year in support of their alma mater. The two brightest lights of his life were his children, Elissa Thurmond Arnold and Timothy Gould Thurmond.

When Elissa began violin lessons, it didn't suffice to simply drop her off with the instructor. He bought a violin of his own and took lessons along-side her in support of their shared passion for music. He immersed himself in classical music and would become the Houston Youth Symphony President, a job that included chaperoning the orchestra to New York City's Carnegie Hall.

When his children took up sports, he simultaneously coached both teams. He was described as the "most fun coach" for his novel and involved efforts in the dugout and on the field. His vocal, inspiring and persistent style led both his children's teams to numerous championships.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Scott Nebergall Death 1/21/12

I just learned of the death of Scott Nebergall on January 21, 2012.  The obituary is here.  In part, the obtuary says:
Prior to joining Edwards Wildman, he was a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the US Department of Justice and was a recipient of the Justice Department Outstanding Attorney Award. 

Friday, April 20, 2012

Jerome N. Sonosky Death

Jerome N. Sonosky died 3/22/12, according to this Washington Post obituary, here.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Ted Peyser's Death

Ted Peyser died on April 13, 2012.  The Washington Post Obituary is here.

The death notice is here.

Key excerpts from the death notice:

Services will be held April 15 at 9 a.m. at Washington Hebrew Congregation, 3935 Macomb St., NW., Washington, DC 20016. Interment Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park, Clarksburg, MD. Family will be receiving friends after the service at the residence of Bill and Ann Peyser. Contributions may be made to the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University.

From my perspective, having dealt with Ted at DOJ Tax, he was a great person and lawyer.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Kathy Keneally Confirmed as AAG Tax (3/30/12)


Kathy Keneally's nomination to Assistant Attorney General Tax Division has been confirmed by the Senate.  Congratulations to Kathy!

Her bio at Fulbright & Jaworski web site, here.

Jack's opinion:  She will be great for the job.  And she will be working with a division of lawyers who are wonderful both as lawyers and public servants.  I expect great things from her tenure and think this is another significant, even if anecdotal reason, for President Obama to be re-elected.  Give Kathy time to make a difference.  She will.

DOJ Press Release, here.

Articles:
David Voreacos, Keneally Confirmed to Lead Justice Department Tax Division (3/30/12), here.
Tax Prof Blog, Tax Prof Blog, Senate Confirms Kathryn Keneally as Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division (3/20/12), here.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Charles J. Alexander Death (3/23/12)

I have just been notified that Charles J. Alexander, formerly of the Tax Division, passed away yesterday.  I have no other details on services or other matters.  As I get further details, I will post them here.

I am advised that there will be a funeral Mass will be at  Little Flower Church in Bethesda on Friday, March 30, at noon.  The web site for the Church is here.  There is a link on that site to the Yahoo Map showing the location.

Obituary here (the obit without the picture is below; click on the link for the picture); Guestbook here.

Of Bethesda, MD, Age 87, devoted husband, father and grandfather, died March 22, 2012 of pulmonary disease at Suburban Hospital surrounded by his family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Carolyn Lefevre Alexander and five children, Carolyn A. Alexander of Rockville, MD, Susan H. Alexander (Gammill) of Belmont, MA, James A. Alexander of Chevy Chase, MD, John C. Alexander and Robert M. Alexander of Potomac, MD, thirteen grandchildren and three nieces.

He was born and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts. Upon graduation as President of his class at Framingham High School in 1941, he entered Boston College. He interrupted his education to enlist in the US Army where he served in the Field Artillery Battalion of the 78th Infantry Division during World War II. He participated in the European Theatre in Belgium and Germany through the fall of Berlin in 1945. After the war he studied at Manchester University in England and completed his Bachelors degree at Boston College. He then entered Boston College Law School and after graduation began his legal career in private practice in Washington, DC.

He joined the Criminal Tax Division of the Department of Justice in 1961 and served as Special Litigation Counsel. He was lead counsel in the criminal prosecution of numerous high profile cases, including those of individuals connected with organized crime. He was the recipient of the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in 1983, was Editor in Chief of the Department of Justice Criminal Tax Manual, and was honored by Special Commendation for Outstanding Service to the Tax Division and for Outstanding Service to the Attorney General's Advocacy Institute. After retirement in 1989, he was named as an Instructor in the National Institute of Trial Attorneys and was a lecturer and panelist on American Bar Association programs.

A Memorial Mass will be offered at Church of the Little Flower, 5607 Massachusetts Ave., Bethesda, MD, on Friday, March 30 at 12 p.m., where he served as a senior usher. Inurnment will follow the Mass at the All Saints Episcopal Church Columbarium, 3 Chevy Chase Circle, Chevy Chase, MD. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Montgomery County Humane Society, 14645 Rothgeb Dr., Rockville, MD 20850. Please view and sign the family guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com


Article:
Tax Division Veteran Remembered (Main Justice 3/28/12), here.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Friday, January 20, 2012

Ralph Muoio Death

The Washington Post reports that Ralph Muoio died on January 14, 2012.

The Washington Post Death Notice is here.  The notice is:


RALPH A. MUOIO

On Saturday, January 14, 2012 RALPH A. MUOIO of the District of Columbia. Beloved husband of the late Elaine McCrary Muoio; devoted father of Reid A. Muoio, Ralph M. Muoio, and Anna Muoio; brother of Anna Nappi and Marie E. Muoio; loving grandfather of Jack and Sarah Muoio, William, Weston and Adele Muoio and Elaine and Ava Brown. Memorial Mass will be held at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Chapel), 3630 Quesada Street NW, Washington, DC on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to St. Anselm's Abbey School, 4501 South Dakota Ave.NE, Washington, DC 20017.


The Legacy Guest Book is here.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Fred Folsom Death (1/5/12)

The Washington Post reports that Fred Folsom died 1/2/12.  See the Obituary here.  As reported, Fred was Chief of the Criminal Section of the Tax Division from 1961 until his retirement in 1972.

The Washington Post has a link where readers can leave comments.  Of course, comments more targeted to DOJ Tax Alumni can be made to this blog entry.  I am sure that readers would appreciate  good stories about Fred's tenure at DOJ Tax.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Chad Muller is a Nominee for Tax Analysts Person of the Year (1/4/12)

The Tax Prof Blog reports today that Chad Muller, DOJ Tax Alum, was one of the final nominees for Tax Analysts Person of the Year.  The Tax Prof Blog article is here.  The person receiving the prize was Grover Nordquist.  Personally, I think Chad would have been a better choice.

Congratulations, Chad.

Chris Pietruszkiewica Named Dean at Stetson Law (1/4/11)


The Tax Prof Blog advises that Christopher Pietruszkiewicz, DOJ Tax Alum, has been appointed dean of the Stetson Law School.  The Stetson Law School press release is here.  The Tax Prof Blog article is here.  His currently LSU Law Center Brief Biography is here which has his current contact information for those wishing to contact him.  I will post his new contact information at Stetson when I obtain it (any reader who obtains it may want to post it as a comment or email me with the information so that I can post it in the blog and update the alumni database.

Congratulations to Chris!