# A Perfectly Reasonable Amount of Schadenfreude about Things Happening to Trump & His Enablers (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 14, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537 "2020-11-14T00:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 396
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7907 "2022-12-01T15:13:45Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Pretty sure no - tax returns are private information. Is Congress legally prohibited from openly releasing the information, and if so, what are the penalties? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7908 "2022-12-01T16:06:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Criminal Penalties: > §7213 specifies that willful unauthorized disclosure of returns or return > information by an employee or former employee is a felony. > The penalty can be a fine of up to $5,000 or up to five (5) years in jail, or > both, plus costs of prosecution. > Under §7213A, willful unauthorized access or inspection (UNAX) of taxpayer > records by an employee or former employee is a misdemeanor. This applies to > both paper documents and electronic information. > Violators can be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 and/or sentenced to up to > one year in prison [difficult to read PDF cite, sorry](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4761.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7909 "2022-12-01T16:07:42Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > §7213 specifies that willful unauthorized disclosure of returns or return > information by an employee or former employee is a felony. > The penalty can be a fine of up to $5,000 or up to five (5) years in jail, or > both, plus costs of prosecution. > Under §7213A, willful unauthorized access or inspection (UNAX) of taxpayer > records by an employee or former employee is a misdemeanor. This applies to > both paper documents and electronic information. > Violators can be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 and/or sentenced to up to > one year in prison Its a good thing that Congress aren’t employees, then. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7910 "2022-12-01T16:11:16Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Its a good thing that Congress aren’t employees, then Yeah, I was wondering about the reach of that as well. I have read that there are laws (maybe this one, maybe another) that it’s also a felony for someone in congress to leak/publish the records, but I read that when the records were requested three or so years ago. EDIT [example here](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/how-democrats-plan-on-getting-trumps-tax-returns), but sadly does not cite statute. > [@](#): > > “We are worried about leaks,” Politico cited a Republican close to the administration as saying. “Once we share it with any member of Congress, we assume it becomes a public document.” > > Leaking the returns would be a felony, and subvert previous cases in which the committee used information in the tax returns to draft a report. Congress did precisely that with Richard Nixon’s tax returns, finding that he owed $300,000 in back taxes to the IRS. The linked Politico article doesn’t either, but says > [@](#): > > A related section within the Internal Revenue Code says any federal employee who leaks tax information is committing a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. which seems to refer to the cite I posted above I guess. ¯\_(ツ)\_/¯ ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7911 "2022-12-01T16:23:28Z")
The committee can’t just release all of Trump’s tax returns to the public! Why that’s just not done! Sure, but… _what if they did_? Maybe it’s time for the Republicans to taste their own medicine. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7912 "2022-12-01T16:47:56Z")
These are highly confidential documents and there is precedent as to handle such things. Apparently it involves inviting Bob Woodward into your home office to come and see them with the understanding that he won’t tell anyone that you showed them to him. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7913 "2022-12-01T17:29:25Z")
> **[Cawthorn departs House with a warning against "soft metrosexuals"](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/madison-cawthorn-departs-house-floor-with-a-warning-against-soft-metrosexuals/ar-AA14L5MN?cvid=9a8b8eba5dff4b21aba2a96d38c1cdb0)** > > "Social media has weakened us, siphoning our men of their will to fight," Rep. Cawthorn said in his outgoing speech Madison Cawthorn - National Embarrassment. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7914 "2022-12-01T17:29:34Z")
I don’t think we want Bob Woodward to get the taxes. He’ll hold onto them until he can make it a book. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7915 "2022-12-01T17:38:54Z")
He would prefer hard ones? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7916 "2022-12-01T17:39:17Z")
Give it to Rachel Maddow. At least it will be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7917 "2022-12-01T18:12:36Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > These are highly confidential documents and there is precedent as to handle such things. I bet Joe Biden has a beach house or vacation home somewhere that he can just leave them laying around. Presidents do that I hear. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7918 "2022-12-01T21:31:19Z")
This bomb dropped today: > **[Kanye to Alex Jones: 'I Like Hitler'](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/kanye-west-alex-jones-i-like-hitler-1234639617/)** > > The rapper and virulent antisemite sat down with the Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist alongside white nationalist Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes It’s not a surprise that he feels that way, but he’s broadcasting it now. It’s amusing that Kanye is praising Hitler and saying that people need to stop hating on Nazis, and Alex Jones of all people gets uncomfortable and says he’s not on board with antisemitism. When you are too extreme for Alex Jones, you are **really** extreme. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7919 "2022-12-01T21:41:28Z")
Well, I’m not sure that’s schadenfreude, more like deserving of it’s own, separate pitting, but it’s not surprising, just sickening. Fuck that guy. I mean, screw him for a LOT of reasons, but everyone and everything that gave him the benefit of the doubt up to now should immediately come down on him with both boots. And to reiterate, fuck that guy. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7920 "2022-12-01T21:44:16Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Well, I’m not sure that’s schadenfreude, more like deserving of it’s own, separate pitting, but it’s not surprising, just sickening. The schadenfreude is that Kanye clearly tried to disguise himself but everyone knew damn well who he was. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7921 "2022-12-01T21:56:37Z")
I think I like this judge. > **[They ran a voter suppression scheme. Now they're sentenced to register voters](https://www.npr.org/2022/12/01/1140096697/jacob-wohl-jack-burkman-robocalls-ohio-sentence)** > > Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman robocalled roughly 85,000 voters across five states, falsely telling them that voting by mail would risk "giving your private information to the man." > Two far-right operatives who told tens of thousands of people not to vote by mail in a robocall scheme will now have to spend 500 hours registering people to vote thanks to a legal sentence from an Ohio judge. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7922 "2022-12-01T22:05:04Z")
I don’t like this judge. This was a serious offense and I can’t believe these guys skated with absolutely no jail time. I just hope that Michigan does better. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7923 "2022-12-01T22:47:44Z")
Agree. Jail time plus 500 hours public service. I suggest a broom and a trash can. No way in HELL I would allow these guys anywhere near where people are trying to register to vote. This is very un democratic of me, but I would also remove their privilege to vote. F’ em. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7924 "2022-12-01T23:20:10Z")
> **[Joel Greenberg, Matt Gaetz's Buddy, Is Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for...](https://jezebel.com/joel-greenberg-matt-gaetzs-buddy-is-sentenced-to-11-y-1849842725)** > > Greenberg has been cooperating with the FBI in its sex trafficking investigation into Gaetz, whom he says paid to transport a teen girl out of state for sex. He got 11 years AND cooperated. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7925 "2022-12-01T23:23:30Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > It’s amusing that Kanye is praising Hitler and saying that people need to stop hating on Nazis, Does he not get that if he finds himself surrounded by Nazi’s, that day will not end well for him? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537/7926 "2022-12-01T23:52:51Z")
He’s like a real life [Clayton Bigsby.](https://youtu.be/BLNDqxrUUwQ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537.md?page=395) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-1/925537.md?page=397)