The Daily Tax Report Quotes Cono Namorato on Nomination Hearing for DOJ Position

The Daily Tax Report quoted Cono R. Namorato regarding his July 22, 2015 Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing where he was vetted for the position of assistant attorney general for the DOJ Tax Division. For the complete article, please click on the link above to view a PDF.

Excerpt taken from the article.

"The Tax Division should be viewed as a pinnacle of integrity," Namorato said at the July 22 hearing, responding to a committee question on the division having a history of its actions being viewed as politically motivated.

Namorato explained that he has dedicated the entirety of his career to tax enforcement, and that he "looks forward to serving" his country if given the position.

Career Experience

In 1978, he joined Caplin & Drysdale and practiced criminal tax litigation for over 30 years before moving to the Internal Revenue Service, where he served as director of the Office of Professional Responsibility from 2004 to 2006.

When asked about the appropriate times to bring civil versus criminal actions relating to tax fraud, Namorato said that while it was very easy to misunderstand the "complex" U.S. tax code, "intentional disregard" for one's tax liability would be a red flag that criminal prosecution is necessary.

He also said that, while the IRS should be applauded for its efforts to crack down on abusive tax shelters and offshore assets, more could be done.

In a statement for the record, Namorato explained that, if fortunate enough to be confirmed, he would focus on advancing the mission of the Tax Division and "zealously representing the United States in all of its activities."