IG Report: IRS Hires Tax Cheats Department of the Treasury, Inspector General for Tax Administration The Internal Revenue Service rehired 213 employees between January 2015 and March 2016 who had previously left the agency for issues including falsifying taxes, theft, and failure to pay taxes, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The report recommends more documentation for rehires to ensure the IRS takes misconduct into account. Activists Use Online Sleuthing To ID White Supremacists Weekly Standard Anonymity is short-lived in the age of the Internet. White supremacist and white nationalist demonstrators in Charlottesville may have thought their identities would be lost in the crowd, but activists have used social media to identify several participants. In at least one case, a man was fired after being identified at the rally. Another was repudiated by his family in an open letter. School Water Fountains Threaten Lead Contamination Center for Public Integrity Congress did not require schools to replace lead pipes when it amended the Safe Water Drinking Act in 1986, which means lots of school buildings still receive water from these fixtures. Currently, 44 states do not require schools to check for lead, and the federal government doesn't require it either. As late as 2014, the legal definition of "lead-free" pipes allowed 8 percent traces. Push To Revoke HIV Disclosure Laws Undark Advocacy groups are trying to reverse laws in 31 states that require HIV sufferers to disclose their status to sex partners. They argue modern therapies are so effective that once someone living with HIV has achieved viral suppression, it is almost impossible for them to transmit the virus. Some states have updated their HIV laws and California is considering similar legislation. Three Saudi Princes Go Missing BBC Is Prince Khaled bin Farhan next on Saudi Arabia's abduction list? He wouldn't be the first Saudi prince to face retaliation for criticizing the Saudi leadership. Even living in Germany isn't likely to save him: In the last two years, three dissident Saudi princes have disappeared from their European havens. Suspicious? Costco Owes Tiffany $19 Million for Using Name Washington Post A branding choice may have Costco paying millions of dollars in lost profit and punitive damages to Tiffany & Co. On store signage, Costco labeled some of their diamond engagement rings "Tiffany" rings. While Costco contends the signs referred to the setting of stones in the rings, Tiffany claims the retailer misled customers to profit off its brand. |