this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2024
883 points (98.6% liked)

News

23259 readers
3234 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. We have an actively updated blocklist, which you can see here: https://lemmy.world/post/2246130 if you feel like any website is missing, contact the mods. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

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.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 402 points 9 months ago (3 children)

That's a longer sentence than many of the January 6th traitors.

[–] LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world 196 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This. Jan 6 traitors are getting slap on their wrists and pat on their backs

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 112 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (5 children)

All Cops are Bastards, All Judges are Bastards, All Prosecutors are Bastards.

The entire fucking "justice" system is tilted towards forgiving and enabling right-wing violence while labeling left-wing protest as "terrorism" that justifies lethal force.

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 64 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I always call it a legal system, because theres sure as hell no justice in it.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] Deello@lemm.ee 53 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Adding to this. The judge said "It engenders the same fear that January 6 does." So if this crime is just as bad Jan 6, shouldn't he be getting the same punishment as other Jan 6 traitors. Like you said, a shorter sentence. Not saying I agree with the judge but pick a side.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 39 points 9 months ago (6 children)
load more comments (6 replies)
[–] DharkStare@lemmy.world 294 points 9 months ago (7 children)

The judge compared Littlejohn’s actions to those of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, noting that, “your actions were also a threat to our democracy.”

Because stealing and releasing tax documents is the same thing as attempting to violently overthrow the government.

[–] Hegar@kbin.social 115 points 9 months ago (3 children)

“your actions were also a threat to our democracy.”

This is one of those exciting sentences where you have to substitute 'democracy' for 'rich people's yacht money'.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] AnonTwo@kbin.social 55 points 9 months ago (4 children)

So the judge is in with trump. Hope none of his cases go that guys way.

Like yeah, he broke the law and needed to be punished. But it wasn't government secrets, which i'm pretty sure is already legally coded separately from this guys crimes, and also neither of which are treason, which would be the capital attack.

So the guy blatantly spoke against his own legal experience for a political swing.

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 35 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

She was appointed by Joe Biden and is an immigrant to this country from Uruguay. I don't think she's a Trump sycophant, I think she's just a lawful pedant and a fan of hyperbole.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] SeaJ@lemm.ee 53 points 9 months ago

Apparently Norway must hate democracy since all of their tax returns are public.

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 36 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Is the judge part of the Sinclair media group?

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] BigMacHole@lemm.ee 164 points 9 months ago (1 children)

That's RIGHT! Releasing Tax Returns gets you MORE Jail Time then trying to violently overthrow the United States Government and HANG the Vice President! That will teach Hostile Countries to MESS with US!

[–] gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world 53 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The way we turned our backs on Afghani interpreters who tried to get asylum here should have shown Charles Littlejohn what happens to people who fight for America

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] paddirn@lemmy.world 161 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yet holding onto classified documents, then hiding them and lying about it to investigators for months gets nothing but a very stern finger-wagging?

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] mildlyusedbrain@lemmy.world 141 points 9 months ago (5 children)

Lol check out this bs: "The judge compared Littlejohn’s actions to those of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, noting that, “your actions were also a threat to our democracy.”

“It engenders the same fear that January 6 does,” Reyes added."

[–] Zink@programming.dev 92 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Invasion of privacy is a very big deal to our legal system when it is the rich peoples’ big number papers.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 68 points 9 months ago (1 children)

What an out of touch judge

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (3 replies)
[–] callouscomic@lemm.ee 123 points 9 months ago (6 children)

Leak a billionaires tax records: 5 years.

Literally rape while a billionaire: 0 years.

[–] jeremyparker@programming.dev 40 points 9 months ago

Becoming president and attempting to overthrow the government: ???

Let's find out!

[–] runner_g@lemmy.blahaj.zone 31 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Rape a girl behind a dumpster, with rich parents: think about his swimming career! 6 months, 4 with good behavior.

load more comments (3 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] doctorcrimson@lemmy.world 123 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Pretty damn fast compared to how long its taking to prosecute Trump.

[–] PrettyLights@lemmy.world 33 points 9 months ago (5 children)

...because the leaker plead guilty. If he went to trial this would have taken longer.

Does no one read the article or understand basic legal processes?

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] raynethackery@lemmy.world 103 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you declare you are running for President, it should trigger an automatic disclosure of your entire tax record.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] bustrpoindextr@lemmy.world 96 points 9 months ago (4 children)

Aight, I mean sure. It was wrong, but 5 years? I understand that not all judges sentence in the same way but 5 years? Insurrection gets basically gets butt pats and this guy gets 5 years?

load more comments (4 replies)
[–] groupofcrows@lemmy.ca 81 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] AllonzeeLV@lemmy.world 42 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

This is what the US does to heros that speak truth against the owner class.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 81 points 9 months ago (16 children)

Anyone has ever deserved a pardon it's this guy

load more comments (16 replies)
[–] CodeName@infosec.pub 79 points 9 months ago (32 children)

He was providing a public service since trump refused to release them like every other presidential candidate has done for decades. This should be considered the same as whistle blowing.

load more comments (32 replies)
[–] kandoh@reddthat.com 78 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Sucks that leaking those returns moved the needle exactly 0% in the fight against Trump.

[–] MataVatnik@lemmy.world 45 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (5 children)

Trump could be eating his own shit in front of a crowd during a rally and his followers will start doing the same.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] linearchaos@lemmy.world 76 points 9 months ago (53 children)

They made an example of them. That judge is well enough off to be thoroughly upset that somebody might release their crooked tax documents.

Honestly I think they should slip something into the law, for this type of leak if the person was lying and you release the document proving them lying that you get a slap on the wrist.

load more comments (53 replies)
[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 76 points 9 months ago (1 children)

too bad judge Reyes isnt going to tell us how serious it is to steal classified documents and sell them.

[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 31 points 9 months ago

Selling classified documents to Russian and Chinese interests is standard practice for the oligarchy though. Some petty serf peasant slapping a few feudal lords, that is a real crime in Neo Feudal America.

[–] alienanimals@lemmy.world 73 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Charles Littlejohn is a hero.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] aulin@lemmy.world 67 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Coming from. Sweden where all tax records are public, it seems insane to get 5 years for revealing taxes.

[–] Michal@programming.dev 35 points 9 months ago (5 children)

Yeah, and wasn't Trump supposed to show his tax returns the moment he became president and promised he'd do it?

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Chainweasel@lemmy.world 65 points 9 months ago (2 children)

How did they get him tried and sentenced so fast?

Every time I question why Trump isn't in jail already people keep telling me "these things take time".

Given that Trump is a high profile case, allowing them to take twice the time of a normal person would have still put him behind bars already.

[–] AnneBonny@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

They didn't try him, he ~~pled~~ pleaded(?) guilty.

In October, Charles Littlejohn, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized disclosures of income tax returns.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 63 points 9 months ago (6 children)

In a sane world, he would have been given a Medal of Honor

load more comments (6 replies)
[–] rustydomino@lemmy.world 57 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I don't know if this sort of thing is allowed, but if outsiders can donate money to his prison commissary account, I will definitely donate.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Snapz@lemmy.world 51 points 9 months ago (10 children)

If society survives long enough for this to become history, the act will be seen as as heroic. The hardest thing for the relatively comfortable, myself included, to do these days is risk that relative comfort and sacrifice our futures (civil and professional) for something that acts against all of the slow motion attacks on democracy going on right now. I don't know enough about him individually to say, but the act on its face us heroic and needed.

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] Fur_Fox_Sheikh@sh.itjust.works 51 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I've actually met this guy a few years ago... crazy... he was a pretty nice guy from what I recall - brought homemade cinnamon buns to a party.

Anyways, his friends set up a gofundme to donate for his legal fees, since of course it costs thousands to continue defending himself and his actions...

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 50 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Still more time than trump will ever serve.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Concave1142@lemmy.world 47 points 9 months ago (3 children)

So who's donating to his commissary? I'd be willing to throw a 20 every now and then.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] iamjackflack@lemm.ee 41 points 9 months ago (5 children)

Biden needs to pardon this guy right after elections

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Fades@lemmy.world 38 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Careful guys, he’s a hero

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›