Russell Davis Memory of DOJ Tax and Mike Baum and Stan Krysa and others

I received an email from Russell Davis (DOJ Tax 1963-1968) updating his contact information. Russell made the following comment which he gave me permission to put on the blog.

It was the best 5 years of my professional career. Working under Mike Baum was incredible as was with Stan Krysa. Bureaucracy was minimized and subordinated to a standard of excellence in pursing a just result in court. The attorneys were some of the brightest around and many lifetime relationships were formed.

JAT Note:  I encourage anyone with memories about their time at DOJ Tax, their colleagues and the quality of the experience to let me know and I will post thenm (within bounds of propriety of course).  Memories such as Russell's and good anecdotes would be particularly enjoyable to many of the Alumni.  Thanks, Russell.

Bill Holmes Death

From the Washington Post on 9/1/10:

HOLMES WILLIAM DAVIS McCALIP HOLMES "Bill" (Age 73) Died Wednesday, August 25, 2010, while vacationing in Pennsylvania. Born August 7, 1937, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, he was the son of the late Vernon Charles Holmes and Mildred Louise Holmes. He is survived by his companion, Ms. Carolyn Pyles, of Florence, Mississippi; his cousins, Donna Eberwine-Villagran de Leon and her husband Ambassador Francisco Villagran de Leon of Washington, DC and Mimi Jones Gray and her husband Joseph Robert Gray of Clarksdale, Mississippi and their families. He is lovingly remembered by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. A graduate of the University of Mississippi Law School, Bill Holmes was an attorney with the United States Department of Justice for more than 35 years. After retiring in 2003, he brought his experience as a tax attorney to his new career with Arlington Realty. Bill Holmes was formerly a member of the JAG Corps in the United States Army and United States Army Reserves and long-time member of the Calvary United Methodist church. A service celebrating his life will be held at Calvary United Methodist Church in Arlington on September 1, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. Reception will follow at Army Navy Country Club.

Senate Sends DOJ Tax AAG Nominee's Name Back to President.

See the Main Justice article here.

Rumors that Downing May Leave DOJ Tax for More Gainful Employment

Kevin Downing who made such headlines in the KPMG tax shelter criminal case and in the offshore account initiative may be seeking more gainful employment. See this WSJ Article - Evan Perez, Prosecutor in UBS Case May Depart (6/24/10).

Jason Green Death

I have just been advised that Jason Green died on May 2, 2010. He is survived by his wife Elaine and daughters Mara and Mia. Here is a link to the obituary.

Death of Max Higgins Lauten

The Baltimore Sun reports here on the death of Max Higgins Lauten.  The obituary is a good read, both for those who knew and did not know him.  Relevant to DOJ Tax, it says:

Mr. Lauten began his legal career in 1976 when he joined the U.S. Department of Justice, where he litigated civil tax cases and was awarded its Outstanding Attorney Award in 1980.

Main Justice Article on Ex-DOJ Official Urging Action on Smith DOJ Tax AAG Nomination

Main Justice has this article:  Ex-DOJ Official Urges Vote On Tax Division Nominee.

Tom Sykes Joins Greenberg Traurig Chicago Office

See this press release.  His new bio with contact information is here.

Update on Confirmation for DOJ Tax AAG Nominee

Main Justice has posted this May 6 article on the nomination of Mary L. Smith as AAG Tax: Opposition To DOJ Tax Division Nominee Continues

Update on Confirmation for DOJ Tax AAG Nominee

From the Chicago Tribune:

Waiting for confirmation

President Barack Obama has 90 nominees awaiting Senate confirmation, and Chicagoan Mary Smith has been waiting the longest of them all, according to White House data.

About 380 days ago, Obama nominated Smith, 47, a Clinton White House lawyer and a former partner with Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman in Chicago, to lead the attorney general's tax division. After Republicans sent the appointment back to the president, citing Smith's lack of tax-law experience, Obama nominated her again. 

According to a congressional aide who declined to be named, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is blocking votes on any nominee opposed by all Republicans in committee, a category that applies to Smith. But the aide predicted Smith would eventually be confirmed in a deal packaging one or two Republican nominees for bipartisan boards with three or four Democratic nominees.

Smith has spent most of her career alternating between practicing law and working on political campaigns, having served as a lawyer in the Department of Justice's civil division; an aide on four presidential campaigns; senior counsel for Tyco International; and a member of Obama's transition team, where she reviewed the division she has been nominated to lead.

"The confirmation process, I think, is broken," said Abner Mikva, a retired federal judge and one of several Chicagoans who wrote Congress endorsing Smith. "I know this sounds partisan, but the Republicans are being ridiculous. She's very qualified. They ought to get out of the way."

In February, Smith joined the Department of Justice, anyway, as senior counsel to the assistant attorney general in charge of the civil division.