Fiore: Lake is Young, Careless and Dangerous

(Fiore for Congress campaign) – April 15, 2010 – It’s tax day, and as millions of Americans rush to file their 2009 tax returns, Michele Fiore, Republican candidate for Congressional District 1, is still battling the IRS over a disputed personal income return from 2006.

“I am happy to pay the government what I owe, but I refuse to pay the government what I don’t owe. I can’t imagine any American blindly handing over their hard-earned money just because the government demands it,” Michele said.

“My case is a perfect example of an over-reaching government using its power and bureaucracy to intimidate its citizens. They give themselves the right to apply a lien on all disputed cases, even though when this is finally resolved, the IRS will end up owing me money. The IRS has nothing to lose by dragging this out, hoping that I will eventually roll over. I will never cave. I will stand up for what I believe is right, and I will never back down.

“It is unfortunate that my primary opponent doesn’t realize that if elected, an enormous responsibility of a Member of Congress is to represent your constituents and act as a liaison between them and the federal government. Is Mr. Lake suggesting that as a Congressman, when District 1 taxpayers come to their Congressman seeking help in a dispute with the IRS, he will blindly take sides with the feds over the taxpayers he represents?

“As your next Congresswoman, the taxpayers in District 1 will always have the benefit of the doubt when they visit me on an issue they need help with. If Mr. Lake is elected, unfortunately he will side with Washington, DC bureaucrats. It says a lot about who he is and what kind of judgment he brings to this race.

“Mr. Lake is young, careless and dangerous. He did not bother to research my case before hurling wild accusations of some spooky conspiracy to rip off the government. My finances have never been in question, nor has my 2006 tax return ever been a secret,” she said.

Michele also said that, once she takes office, she plans to use her own experience fighting the IRS to push Congress to pass a simplified tax code. “Ordinary citizens shouldn’t have to spend their hard-earned money hiring lawyers and accountants just to sort out their income tax returns. It’s absolutely ridiculous,” she said.