Political Quotes

On the recordMay 12, 1994
Penny Stellmacher made $25,000 a year working for a cable company. Penny got married in 1984. Mr. Speaker, check this out: Penny started filing joint tax returns with her husband. Penny never failed to file, she always paid her taxes with her husband, and suddenly one day the IRS came in, seized her assets, went to the bank, took their bank account, took their paychecks because they said Penny owed $100,000. Mr. Speaker, the IRS never thought to check that maybe she got married. The IRS says, ``Penny, you're guilty. Now, you prove to us you paid your taxes. You owe $100,000.'' Unbelievable, Congress. H.R. 3261, Discharge Petition No. 12, says it right straightforward: In America you are innocent until you are proven guilty and if it is good enough for the serial killer, Son of Sam, it is good enough for Penny Stellmacher and mom and dad. Think about it. Discharge Petition No. 12. You are innocent until proven guilty. When did we get the Gestapo over here, folks?

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the IRS's treatment of taxpayers and advocating for a presumption of innocence.

Share

More from James Traficant

May 4, 1994

which Constitution will be uphold today in the U.S. Congress: the Constitution that said Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Speck, Charles Manson are innocent until proven guilty; or today do we uphold the IRS constitution that says the PTA…

govinfo.gov
Dec 1, 1997

there has not been one Member that has addressed the legal precedents of the challenge to this motion

congress.gov
Apr 13, 1994

the IRS said that David and Millie Evans of Colorado owed $40,000. Then the IRS said that the Evanses owed $100,000. Now the Evanses say the IRS never told them what the exact amount of money was they said they owed, and they would not…

govinfo.gov
May 5, 1994

Politics of guns. Politics of guns. Tough issue. Congress has traditionally put this sensitive and tough political issue on automatic pilot. Mr. Speaker, the truth is today Air Force One has taken leadership and they are bringing it down…

govinfo.gov

Other voices in this conversation