U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton ordered Rinehart to surrender any 2003 tax records for Unta Bent Inc. to federal investigators by Aug. 11 or submit a sworn statement indicating that the requested documents do not exist or are in the hands of another government agency.
Heaton said he would find Rinehart in civil contempt of court, as requested by government attorneys, if a report due Aug. 15 indicates he did not comply with his order.
Rinehart, who lost Tuesday in his bid for a second term as commissioner, has been under investigation by the IRS since November 2006.
The federal tax agency sought personal and corporate records from 2003 through 2005. It turned to Heaton in November, alleging Rinehart had refused to comply with two summonses.
In January, Heaton ordered Rinehart to cooperate with an investigator from the IRS’ small business division.
Rinehart and his attorney, Stephen Jones of Enid, maintain he has provided investigators with all of the records in his possession.
They said he has not answered some questions posed by the IRS investigator to avoid incriminating himself as he awaits a September trial on campaign finance charges in Oklahoma County District Court.
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Hey Ron - learn to read. The judge said "civil contempt charge." That is not the same as a civil lawsuit. A civil lawsuit is between private individuals. Anytime a governmental entity wants your records they are definitely looking at more than a civil suit. But then I did not get my entire education from what I choose to read in the Daily Oklahoman like most of you morons.
LMAO!!!! Don't mess with the big boys if you aint ready to get muddy! Brent is going to get bent in County orange for awhile before he plays with the feds! He can spend all his time then writting his comics!
Brent Rinehart sort of reminds me of Jack Bowen. He has that white bread youth pastor good guy look to him, but with a darker more disturbed side that peeks out periodically. With Jack, he eventually self-destructed. With Brent, I think he is well on his way.
Don't think the judge threw out any charges. The Feds were just asking the court to force him to comply with the IRS summonse. don't think there were ever any charges in this CIVIL (not criminal, yet) action. Apparently it wasn't the paper that missed the facts.
I would love to see what would happen if Rinehart were booked into the Ok County jail. Whetsel could sell tickets to that event and probably be able to pay for all those "toys" Rinehart said he wanted. :)
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Like an old friend of mine says, one set of rules for them another set for everyone else.