James Traficant: “I say to my colleagues, tell me, Congress, when did the IRS waive the Bill of Rights? Check this out. In Colorado, the…”

“I say to my colleagues, tell me, Congress, when did the IRS waive the Bill of Rights? Check this out. In Colorado, the IRS said that David and Millie Evans owed them $42,000 in back taxes. Three weeks later they said it was a mistake, it is $100,000, so they settled it for $22,000. Evans sent a check. IRS stamped it, received it, and IRS called them and said, ``We don't have your check prove it.'' They took them to court. They liened their house. They sold their business. They took their retirement account, all their bank accounts. It went to court, the court said the Evanses were not guilty. The IRS appealed the decision, saying the judge wrongfully instructed the jury by saying the burden of proof was on the IRS. They said, ``You must overturn this because the tax code is quite clear, the burden of proof is on the Evanses.'' The case was overturned. Unbelievable, Congress. If there is a Contract With America, the American people do support much of your contract. They support this contract, the basic tenet of our Bill of Rights: you are innocent until proven guilty, and damn it, if it is good enough for the Son of Sam, it is good enough for mom and dad.”