(Author’s note: Apparently, some folks are upset that I didn’t explicitly state that this original story appeared on a satirical site – though I clearly linked to it in the piece. The point of my piece was to point out that it couldn’t possibly be true – not to “debunk” a satire. It was meant to remind folks not to simply share without reading – also in the original story – and not to merely rely on a headline or a sentence in an email for your news. Those of you who stop by the blog regularly get that and I appreciate it. I’m not going to change the original piece but I am going to clarify this in big red letters at the top so that the rest of you can sleep a little better.)
This afternoon, my email blew up with reports that the cyber attack group Anonymous had successfully hacked the IRS database and had “retrieved 25-years worth of Romney’s tax returns and published them without permission on major websites throughout the Internet.” Allegedly, the returns had been posted briefly before being taken down.
Um, no. I don’t believe it.
The group Anonymous has been around for the last 10 years or so. The group strongly opposes internet censorship and surveillance and has been involved in a number of high profile attacks, including those against the Universal Music Group, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Broadcast Music, Inc. and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). And while Anonymous has been known to hack government web sites, including those affiliated with the Department of Justice, this doesn’t seem like their cup of tea. I don’t know that Anonymous has that much of a dog in this fight: is presidential hopeful Mitt Romney that much of a target?
There’s a lot about the article (which has been reproduced across the internet) that isn’t to be believed. If you’ve ever tried to access records from the IRS, you’d know that the likelihood of finding 25 years of data in one place is practically nil. Prior to 1987 (that 25-year mark), tax returns were processed manually. Since that time, the IRS has become much more efficient, but a never-ending supply of records isn’t generally available at the push of a button – even on the IRS side. Don’t believe me? Try ordering your old tax records.
Next, if you read the most widely circulated version of the article carefully, you’ll see some red flags: $78,923 for “Toupee Creators Unlimited” and $41,826 for “Spray-on tan services”? $891,064 on an “EWS Donor Party at the Pennsylvania Mansion” including “Venetian masks, alcohol, lubricant, and various Egyptian leather accessories”? Totally bogus. (Read before you share, folks. )
Finally, we’ve seen some of Romney’s returns, remember? He’s rich, we get it. Next.
